Going, Going, Gone
by Tokyo McDiamond
Summary: Akane has had enough and decides to leave, but not to the U.S, but to Korea where her uncle is letting her stay with him. But while living with her uncle, Akane finds a whole new art that she has found that she is naturally good at; music. With her uncle being a music producer, can Akane become the pop star she wants to become?
1. Chapter 1

"How can you say that?" her voice was small, quivering just like her bottom lip.

"How can I say the truth? The truth that I didn't ask for a tomboy fiancé whose cooking could kill King Kong and would also beat him in a thigh measuring contest. Or a fiancée who is always jumping to conclusions because self conscious because she is so uncute as well as manly like a gorilla, built like a brick, as well always hovering over me? Because no, I didn't ask for one, so stop getting in my business" he growled gritting his teeth and flaring his nostrils at her.

Her head dropped looking away from his thundering gaze as she absorbed his words. She had just asked why he wouldn't eat her cooking but would scarf down Shampoo's and Ukyo. Now it has lead them to a total argument and now to this; him enraged with a fiery hate for her and her falling deeper into her depression. She bit her bottom lip to keep from breaking out into tears in front of him. While he waited for her to break out of her mallet and mash him with it instead he just heard her mumble a bit of small words.

"You're right, no fiancée like that would be worthy of you" she muttered.

Then she turned on her heel and softly went up to her room and closed the door so soft it almost didn't make a sound. He stood downstairs looking down the hallway she had gone down. Her voice seemed empty almost dead as she spoke those words. He had no chance to see her face before she had swiftly left, but he knew that she was probably really sad right now. He sighed deeply leaning against a wall raking a hand through his hair.

Why did he have to say such a thing? He felt like such a dick now after insulting her like that. He knew now he was going to have to apologize big time and well as kiss her feet and maybe even throw in a servant contract. Looking down the hallway, he sighed letting her have the time to herself why he kicked himself for being such a douche. He cursed under his breath thinking that the mallet to the face was better than the silence.

There she was, lying on her bed crying into her pillow. Crying into her pillow hadn't been an uncommon thing to happen for the past month since the failed wedding. Since the wedding, she found herself crumpling onto her bed in tears falling deeper into her depression. She seemed to be drowning in her sorrow from the insults of her body, the insults of her cooking, and the scenes of Ranma with his other fiancés. How she envied them from their skills in culinary but also martial arts. But was jealous of how bodacious they were; large developments, slender lean legs, curvy torsos, rounded buttocks, even their small hips. How she wanted to have their tall slender bodies and not her small boyish figure. But the worst thing that seemed to be pulling her further down in abyss was the wedding.

How happy she had been on that day. She didn't think she had been any happier in the time she knew Ranma than that day, when she saw herself in the mirror. The only thing that would have completed it would have been her mother there to tell her how happy she would have been to see her youngest married. But when the wedding was crashed and ruined, it was like she was her life; happy in the beginning but then crumbling down into one big mess.

Akane was just so tired, tired of everything. She was tired of all the fiancés, all the chaos, all the fights, all the enemies, all the curses, of everything. It seemed like her life was just going to keep on going on being one big chaotic mess. She had dreamt her life would be normal with her learning martial arts, going to school, inheriting the dojo, maybe having a boyfriend, and teaching class in the dojo. No, she didn't expect a man to come into her life and be made her fiancé. She didn't expect to almost die in her young life, didn't expect fiancés wanting her dead, didn't expect to be kidnapped so much, didn't expect so many enemies in her life, didn't expect to deal with such curses, didn't expect so much drama, and didn't expect to feel this tired.

She sniffled sitting up taking a tissue from the tissue box on her desk to clean her face. Once she was sure the tears were gone, she threw the tissue in the waste basket and looked at her face. Puffy red eyes, red runny nose, tear streaked cheeks; that's what her face was right now. Sigh a small sigh; she sat at her desk looking out the window at the sky above seeing the twinkling stars of the night sky. How she remembered her mother humming to her on nights where she couldn't sleep as her small eyes gazed through the window of her parent's room. She remembered one night where she told her mother she had a pretty voice and should be a singer. She could still hear her mother's response.

"_I wanted to be one since your uncle, mommy's brother, is working on being a music producer but instead I chose to marry your father and be a mommy" _

How she wondered what it would be like to be a pop star and be admired everywhere. How it would be like to see her name is big flashy lights and hear everyone scream her name with so much love. How it would be like to have people want her autograph, have her picture, hear what she had to say. How it would be like to sing for a living and wear nice fancy clothes and eat gourmet meals all the time. What would it be like to just get out of here?

Her eyes snapped open with an idea. Her uncle was a big music producer in Korea, she had seen some of his music videos on the TV Korean channels with his name. Her mother's side of the family had lost touch ever since her mom's death, when they said they didn't like Soun. With every detail, she grinned at her idea. She could go live with her mom's family in Korea and get away from all this. She popped up from her desk and ran out of her room down to the front door where the phone was.

On her way, she had past by Ranma who jumped back think she was going to clobber him now. But seeing her run past him with a grin he scratched his head wondering why she was so happy now. He could hear her pick up the phone and dial in a number but after that, everything was a whisper. Trying to be sneaky, he tip toed to the front door where the phone was and could hear a bit of her whispers as she had covered her mouth. His ear enlarged trying to hear what she was saying when he heard the phone click meaning she had put the phone down. Think she was going to find him, he hurried off silently back into the living room.

"Hello?"

"Hello is this Koga Matsuhara?" Akane asked praying she got the right number from the phone services.

"Yes, may I ask who is calling?" the man on the other side asked.

"Hello um did you have a sister named Sakurai Matsuhara married to Soun Tendo?" she asked knowing she probably sounded creepy.

"Yes and if you don't tell me who you are, I'm going to hang up" the man warned.

"No, don't I'm her daughter Akane" she quickly answered.

"Akane? Little Akane Tendo?" the man asked sounding almost surprised.

"Yes Uncle Koga" she almost nodded.

"Well what can I do for you, you sound so much older than last time but it's been nearly ten years" the man laughed.

"WelI I'm sorry for asking but I was wondering if you can do me a favor?" she twirled her fingers around the cord.

"What is it sweetie?" he asked sitting up from his chair.

"Can I come live with you in Korea for a while?" she quickly asked making a face waiting for the rejection.

"Why sweetie? Is something wrong, your father won't mind?" he asked leaning on his desk.

"Since when have you cared what my father minded?" she asked.

"I was being sarcastic, but why do you want to live with me?" he asked making her smile a bit.

"Uncle Koga it's a bunch of things with a really long story that just exhausts me from telling it, better yet living it, and I want to get away for a while. Vacations already started and I don't have to worry about school for a while, so I thought it would be worth asking" she sighed deeply.

On the other line, her uncle could hear the sadness in her and the exhaustion in her sigh. Wondering what has happened the past few years, he looked at the photo of Sakurai and him. Remembering how much his little sister wanted to be a star and giving it all up for a guy had angered him so much. And now here was Little Akane asking to come live with him. He remembered how much she looked like Sakurai and now he could protect her from a man like Soun. He knew that Kasumi was old enough to have made her own decisions and that Nabiki's scary nature would convince her father to let things go her way. They would be okay, but Akane she was too honorable to go against her father.

"Of course, I'll buy you a one way ticket, mail it to your address, and then you can come live with me" he smiled.

"Really? Oh thank you so much Uncle Koga" Akane almost jumped.

"Just give it a week or so and you'll have your ticket to the earliest flight" he smiled hearing the joy in her voice.

"Thank you so much Uncle Koga, I'll see you in a week or so" she smiled.

"See you" he smiled.

She hung up the phone feeling so happy that she would get away for a while. With a smile she almost skipped to the kitchen to grab a snack when Ranma stopped her. Remembering the fight they had almost half an hour ago, her face went soft seeing his hard look at her. She softly smiled which took him off guard as he expected her to blow him off or give him a snide remark. Not wanting to blow his cover that he was listening to her conversation, he didn't mention it. Instead he decided to apologize to her.

"I'm hungry, I'm going to go get something to eat" she said before he could say anything.

"Here's some money for catering if you want, but I'm going out and getting some fresh air" she continued placing a handful of money on the table.

"I'll be back later" she said before disappearing.

Ranma raised an eyebrow wondering what had just happened. She had just left him looking like a fool as he stood there with his mouth open his apology locked up in his mouth. He face planted wondering how he could be as so slow and let her run away before he could apologize. He had been practicing it while she was upstairs hoping he wouldn't stutter or say something stupid. But now he had just let her walk out the front door without him even saying a single word.


	2. Chapter 2

"Thank you for letting me come over on such sort notice" Akane sighed at the dinner table.

"It's no problem, you're practically family" Yuka's mom said with a 'psh'.

"Yeah Akane, you, me, and Sayuri have known each other since elementary" Yuka said over her tea.

"Okay" Akane smiled.

"Here 's dinner girls" Yuka's mom smiled setting out the plates.

Akane smiled at Yuka's mom thinking that she was the closest thing she had to a mother along with Sayuri's mom. This was the closest thing she had to a normal family beside Yuka's strange cat. They had all known each other since elementary and were so used to each other. They were used to coming over to each others house and staying for days. But with the recent events of Nerima, Akane's house hadn't had a sleepover since junior high. Also since Sayuri and Yuka live so close to each other that they can go to each others house all the time. Akane's house was almost a mile away from theirs.

Akane left shortly after and returned home seeing everyone was home. Kasumi had returned from her book club, Nabiki from her friend's house, her father and Mr. Saotome from the mahjong game they played with friends. Ranma was sitting in the living room with everyone else and she saw he used her money to buy noodles from the NekoHanten. It wasn't the bowl of noodles that everyone had, it was Shampoo wrapped up in Ranma on the ground. Everyone looked as Akane entered the room and waited for her explode. Instead of her growling and sending the two into outer space, she smiled at everyone.

"Hello Kasumi, Nabiki, Dad, Mr. Saotome, Ranma and hello there Shampoo" she smiled at everyone.

She strolled to her room and closed the door softly. In her room she sighed biting back the tears that were threatening to fall. She drew her hand across her eyes and sat at her desk turning on the light looking at the night sky. Her eyes then went to the picture of her mother on her desk. It was a picture of her mother sitting on a hospital bed with a small pink bundle in her arms. The small bundle had a white stitched 'A' on the blanket as a small face peeked from a circle of the blanket. Her mother was smiling at the camera snuggling to the pink bundle looking at the small face lovingly.

"Mom if only you were here" Akane sighed leaning her head on her folded arms.

Akane just had to survive one week. With that week, she cleared everything with everyone. She went saint for the week and did good deeds at every turn. Akane stopped her poundings, put her mallet on display, ignored the NWC attacks at the house, helped Kasumi fix up the house every time, even had dinner at the Kuno's. Kuno had over done it a bit with the live music and Sasuke as their waiter, but it was actually quiet nice if it hadn't been for his Shakespeare lines. But the food was good and so was the music, she had to hire them for dinner if she ever had money to. Then when the night had ended, she was able to walk home in peace since Sasuke had been able to hold Kuno back when she asked. Going home, she had been asked no questions about her whereabouts or the occasion of her attire.

The family could tell something was wrong with Akane since she was so quiet and she was acting strangely. But seeing that there was some peace in the house, they let her do as she pleased. Then one day, the mail came.

"Akane, here's your mail" Kasumi said handing the small white envelope to Akane.

"Thank you, Kasumi I hope it's that penpal I've been writing to" Akane lied knowing exactly what it was.

"Your friend seems like such a nice girl" Kasumi smiled as Akane disappeared to her room.

Akane locked her door and flopped on her bed ripping the envelop open with her finger seeing the plane ticket fall to her grasp as well as a letter. Akane looked at plane ticket seeing that the ticket was for tomorrow at twelve. She set the plane ticket in her wallet and into her bag filled with clothes then turned to the letter.

'_Dear Little Akane._

_I am glad that you have thought about come living with me and I am looking forward to seeing you. Though I must tell you that I am a very busy man having worked with such a big company, but I hope you can understand. There will be some days where I will have to leave you at home by yourself or I have to take you with me to some event. But working with such a big company I want to let you know that you will be able to meet some famous people which are an upside to all the loud music and busy hours. Though with the parties happening at my house, I am unsure you will be able to ever get any rest, but I am sure you can learn to enjoy yourself here in Korea. I am not sure how long you plan on staying, but you are more than welcomed to stay past when school starts and take your studies here in Korea if you would like. But I must tell you that I am a ladies man, so in the morning if you find a woman wearing my button up give her a muffin or some toast, say good morning, and then give her back her clothes. Also, when you first get to Korea I want to take you out and show you off which means I'm taking you out and getting you a new Korean wardrobe so don't pack too many clothes; just the necessities. But I hope to see you soon. _

_Uncle Koga'_

Akane shook her head looking at her bags seeing that she had packed everything she had own; clothes, gi's, shoes, toiletries, and other little things like jewelry and pictures. Looking at the letter she sighed folding it up until she was able to put it in her wallet and then started lightening her load of stuff. She took out some gi's , some clothes, then took out the picture of everyone with Toma. She had hesitated taking it out, but with a look at everyone in the picture she smiled thinking that she was leaving to leave everything behind; this was a part of everything she was leaving. When she set it back on the desk, she didn't think twice about putting it back in the backpack.


	3. Chapter 3

"Akane where you going?" Soun asked his retreating daughter.

"I'm spending the night at Yuka's, I asked you yesterday" Akane said fixing the strap of her gym bag.

"Oh well have fun" he smiled at his daughter.

Then Akane did the strangest thing; she hugged her father. It wasn't a casual hug, but a tight bear hug around her father's slim waist that caught him off guard. He looked down at his youngest and smiled hugging her small shoulders. Then she let go as he smiled down at her petting her short blue hair and she smiled back at him. She then went to the kitchen and hugged her elder sister from behind and let go before Kasumi could say her usual 'Oh my'. She went around hugging everyone and catching everyone off guard but then she came to Ranma. Instead of dipping her head, she smiled up at him with a fake golden smile.

"I'll see you later Ranma" she said before turning for the door.

"Hey Akane what was the hug for?" Nabiki asked from the table.

"Oh nothing, just to see how you would react since you say you're the ice queen" Akane shrugged before disappearing behind the door.

Akan ran the mile to Yuka's house seeing Yuka and Sayuri sitting in the front yard with Yuka's cat. The cat was lying on its back kicking one of it hind legs whenever they scratched the right place. She sat down next to them joining in on the belly rubbing as Yuka's mom brought them lemonade and pieces of watermelon. They said big thanks as they took drinks of the cool tart drink and the sweet melon. Lying on the grass enjoying the cool wind and the warm sun Akane smiled thinking this was a nice way to enjoy the last moment together for a while.

"I got us this" Sayuri said handing her a necklace.

"It's beautiful" Akane gasped.

It was just a small gift of a necklace. It was made with a thin black string and a dark blue pendant. The pendent was in the shape of a tear drop but it was curved at the bulb and in the bulb it could be opened in a circle. In the circle when she opened it showed a picture of the three of them in elementary. Akane sat on the ground with Sayuri behind her and Yuka on Sayuri's back, all of them smiling big.

"I remember that day, we were at the zoo in front of the giraffes" Yuka smiled.

"Yeah I got one in each of our favorite colors" Sayuri smiled.

"Thanks Sayuri" Akane smiled slipping hers over her head.

All that day the girls had fun. They danced to music, ate a bunch of junk, had pillow fights, dressed in ridiculous outfits and had a run way, took a bunch of pictures, they had a bunch of fun. By the end of the day they were pooped out and dead asleep in the living room halfway through a movie. Pints of ice cream were empty on the table along with bags of chips and cups of juice and soda. Blankets cloaked them as they snored lightly on the couch not looking like they were going to move. Akane was the first to wake and cleaned up the mess on the table and folded the blanket she used. Silently she grabbed her backpack and gym bag and silently slipped through the front door leaving a note saying that she had to leave early and didn't want to wake them up.

She sighed as she took the bus to the air port not daring to look back as she looked out the window. Nerima was passing her by as she got further and further away from her home but she didn't hesitate as she looked at the plane ticket. The bus stopped at a stop near at the air port where she walked the rest of the way and found the plane that she was to get on. Her hand wasn't shaky or did she give it a second thought when she gave the girl her ticket. Only when she sat in her seat looking out at the area of the air port where she would be soon leaving that she thought about her decision to leave. She knew that she was doing the right decision to leave but she didn't know how her family would think. Akane knew her dad would be devastated but also that Nabiki and Kasumi would understand why she left. The only that got her thinking was Ranma; she knew he would come after her. She would have to think about some ways to keep a secret while in Korea.

Landing in the Korea air port, Akane grabbed her small bags and hoisted her backpack on her shoulders and her gym bag on her left shoulder. At the airport she stood her ground looking for a man with neat blue black hair, light green eyes, and she could possibly think that he was wearing a suit. Looking left and right she kept looking for a man that fit her description, but didn't see any. Instead she saw a man wearing a black suit holding a sign saying 'Tendo'. Walking towards him hesitant, she stopped holding her free hand out for him.

"Hello I'm Tendo" she said.

The man said something in a language she didn't understand. With a raised eyebrow she sighed remembering that she was in Korea and that man wasn't speaking Japanese. Instead she pointed to the sign and then pointed to her. What she thought was the man saying 'You are Miss Tendo?' she nodded and the man smiled leading her to a sleek black car. He opened it for her and she slide in a little too far because she bumped into something in the car. Uncertain, she looked and squealed seeing her uncle. She jumped on him as he hugged her back laughing.

"Hi there my Little Akane" he smiled as she scooted back.

"Oh my gosh you're not so little anymore, here I got you this" he said pulling a single rose from behind his back.

"You're always such a player" she laughed accepting the rose.

"Well, guess what we're going shopping" he said in a high pitched voice dancing in his seat.

She heard her uncle talk to the driver in the same language that the driver spoke. She thought he was telling him to take them to the department store. Looking out the window she felt her Uncle move and looked seeing him reach down and pick up a take out bag.

"I thought you would be hungry so I brought you some cookies and some juice" he said handing her a kid sized juice box.

"Thank you Uncle Koga" she said kissing his cheek.

The car pulled to a stop and she looked seeing that they had stopped in front of an expensive designer store. She got out of the car before her Uncle Koga could open it for her and looked seeing that all down the street were expensive stores. Looking down at her plain blue sundress and white flower sandals she felt well underdressed standing next to her uncle. He was wearing white slacks and a white blazer with a light blue button up underneath.

"This place is too expensive, we should go to somewhere cheaper" she shook her head.

"Nonsense, now come on" he said practically dragging her in.

Almost as soon as she stepped foot in the store she got attacked. Getting pulled to the back of the store, her body got stripped down and measured and then thrown into clothes. She pushed in front of her uncle wearing a long sleeve cheetah blouse that showed a bit of midriff with dark skinny jeans and heels. Before she could recover, she got pulled back and then thrown into more clothes then shoved back in front of her uncle. She could hear his claps of approval and the rejections of the outfits that he didn't like. She got dizzy having been stripped and clothes by people she didn't know and was feeling sort of violated. Then after awhile of changing in and out of clothes she got to sit down on a soft cushion with an ice pack on her head and a small bottle of water on the floor. Meanwhile her uncle was being sneaky and buying the clothes that he thought looked nice on her and buying a few other things for her and sneaking them to the trunk of the car. Then he pulled her out of the store and to another expensive store where she got violated again. He dragged her to several stores where she got stripped and measured and clothed and ended with her having an ice pack on her head while her uncle did his sneaking.


	4. Chapter 4

"Here go in this store and buy what you need" he said handing her money.

"Why?" she asked looking at the store.

"Because it's a panty store and I don't want to seem like a creeper" he blushed pushing her in the store.

"But this place is too expensive" she tried to walk out.

"Too late" he smiled as the employees' grabbed hold of her.

She got pulled into a changing room, got measured again, and then a woman shoved several pairs of panties plus lingerie in her hands. Another woman, who was in the changing room with her, stripped her down and tried to put the stuff on Akane. Akane shoved the woman out and tried the stuff on her own pace after locking the changing room door. After trying on underwear by herself and throwing the lingerie out, she picked several that she liked. After cringing at the prices she bought the ones that she thought were low priced. With the bag of underwear she exited the store and looked at the car seeing her uncle and driver shoving shopping bags into the overfilled trunk. Her uncle was jumping on the trunk top while the driver was pressing down on it. Seeing that she was done getting panties and saw what they were doing, her Uncle Koga jumped down and quickly shoved her in the back seat. Before she could react, they were able to close the trunk and quickly drove off.

"You bought all those clothes?" she asked her uncle in a dramatic voice.

"No, what clothes?" he denied.

"The ones in the trunk" she thrust a thumb over her shoulder towards the trunk.

"You're hallucinating" he shook his head.

"I am not, I saw your trying to close the trunk" she huffed.

"You're crazy, you're just hungry" he made a face at her.

He spoke to the driver in Korean again and she made a face at him. They pulled up to a fancy restaurant and she started to protest when her door was opened by the valet. She got pulled out and looked seeing her uncle pull out a shopping bag and shoved it in her hands. He dragged her in the restaurant and pushed her in the bathroom. She gave a yelp almost bumping into a woman wearing a nice dress and gave a loud sorry with a bow. Seeing the woman look at her weird, she realized she was talking in Japanese and just bowed deeply while moving out of her way. Looking at what the woman was wearing compared to what she was wearing, she quickly went into a stall and looked at what her uncle gave her. She lifted the clothes out to see a black dress with a layer of black lace over and black heels. Sighing she changed and folded her clothes in the bag looking at herself in the mirror. With a gasp she saw how the dress hugged her small figure enhancing her curves making her look like she had an hourglass figure. The heels made her legs look lean and slender and pushed her butt up making her butt look fuller and rounded.

"You look marvelous" her uncle complimented standing up as she approached.

"Thank you, though it's a bit hard to walk in heels" she said as he pulled out her seat.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it" he smiled taking his seat.

"How many pairs did you buy?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh you know only twenty" Uncle Koga said silently before sipping his tea.

Meanwhile in Nerima, it was almost night time and the Tendo's and Saotome's were getting worried about the youngest of them. It was nearly six when they decided to call Yuka's to only find that apparently she left early in the morning before any of the girls had waken. Now was the time that they began to panic. Mr. Tendo was crying with Mr. Saotome, Nabiki, having been the suspicious about the hugs, started to contact her company. Kasumi was fanning Mr. Tendo who was now past out. Ranma, well he was a different story. He was taking his anger out on the dojo and not in the martial arts way; he was throwing stuff around and punching random things.

"Stupid Akane!" he yelled throwing one of her dummies against the wall.

"Why do you have to have us worried all the time? Why did you run away? Why couldn't you just talk to me or talk to Kasumi or talk to someone? Was it something that I had said or done?" he yelled frustrated.

"_How can you say that?" her voice was small, quivering just like her bottom lip._

"_How can I say the truth? The truth that I didn't ask for a tomboy fiancé whose cooking could kill King Kong and would also beat him in a thigh measuring contest. Or a fiancée who is always jumping to conclusions because self conscious because she is so uncute as well as manly like a gorilla, built like a brick, as well always hovering over me? Because no, I didn't ask for one, so stop getting in my business" he growled gritting his teeth and flaring his nostrils at her._

"_You're right, no fiancé like that would be worthy of you"_

He gritted his teeth wanting really bad to kick himself for not apologizing to her as soon as he said that. If he had known that it was going to make her leave, he wouldn't have said that to her. He put his back to the dojo wall and slide down panting from his fit of rage and looked seeing the dojo was not a disaster. He sighed putting his head in his hands thinking about his words over and over again in his mind. Slamming his fist in the wall next to him, he really wished he had someone to beat him up right now.

"Wow that was delicious" Akane groaned stretching her arms above her head.

"I'm glad you think so" her uncle chuckle seeing her pat her full belly.

"But I still feel really bad, all those clothes, shoes, jewelry, and this dinner it was all so expensive" she said tugging on her dress.

"Don't feel bad, I haven't seen one of my nieces in almost ten year's think of it as gifts" he shook his head.

"But I'm so not used to being given such extravagant gifts" she said sort of sad.

"Well you better because as long as you live with me, you are going to be treated as a princess" he said dramatically.

"Knowing you, you'll probably live up to that" she sweat dropped.


	5. Chapter 5

At the end of dinner, the drive brought them home and Akane gasped seeing the large mansion. The iron gates opened and they drove down the long drive way past the fountain in the front yard and into the drive way. Several butlers came from the house and went to the trunk pulling out the shopping bags and bringing them in the house. Still shocked by the size of the house she didn't realize several maids were pulling her inside the house. In the house she was caught in the beauty of the house that she didn't know her uncle was giving her the tour until she found herself in a large tub filled in bubbles. Alarmed she looked around the bathroom when a maid came in with a silk robe.

"How did I get in here?" she asked.

The maid started speaking in Korean in which Akane thought she was saying to get out of the tub because she pulled the bathroom plug. Standing up she toweled off her body before slipping into the silk robe and then escorted to the room she would be staying in. With a gasp she stood by the door looking at the large bed equipped with the fluffiest comforters and large fluffy pillows. There was a large dresser with pull open doors that held drawers inside of it. There was also a walk in closet that already held her newly bought shoes and clothes. In the dresser she found fancy dresses that she guessed her uncle bought without her noticing. Then in the drawers she found her unmentionables. The ceramic desk placed by her bed had a decorative jewelry box that was filled with jewelry hat her uncle had also bought without her noticing. There was a mirror attached to the desk and she sighed seeing her tired exhausted face. The maid was still by the door and had a smile on her face as she watched Akane's wonder filled face. Without a warning Akane hoped up and down happily squealing and then launched herself at the maid in a hug. She squeezed the woman in her arms as the woman gave a yelp and then Akane was gone dancing in the large room. The maid smiled giggling slightly before closing the door as the young girl started to hum to herself.

Akane giggled jumping on the bed sinking into the comforter with a happy sigh. The thought of her family back in Japan was gone from her mind as she curled up in a ball under the covers still in the robe. She dreamt of the nice relaxing life she would now live with her uncle in Korea and all the peace she would get.

"Hey there chipmunk, how'd you sleep?" Uncle Koga asked in the morning.

"I slept like a rock, I found my hair sticking out all over and droll down my cheek" she joked biting into her chocolate chip bagel.

"Well I'm glad you slept to well that you drooled into your hair" he twisted her words.

"I said I drooled and found my hair all messed up, not that I drooled in my hair" she threw an orange at him.

"Thanks for breakfast" he said catching it behind his back.

"You going to work?" she asked seeing his business suit.

"Yeah, got to meet up with this new girl pop group and they want to do a video so I have to see their ideas" he said peeling in the citrus fruit.

"Well have fun at work" she said spinning in the stool.

"If you get bored there's a gym, dance room, a studio room, a pool, tennis court, garden, TV room just a bunch of things to do, sorry to leave you alone" he said kissing her cheek before he left.

She was still in the long dark blue silk robe that she wore to bed. Thinking that it was inappropriate that she wasn't wearing much underneath, she went back to her room. Looking for more comfortable clothes among the new stuff she retreated to the clothes she had brought herself. She changed into her yellow gi with the red tie and made her way for the gym that her uncle said they had. Getting there and opening the doors she saw it was an actual gym not just a small room filled with exercise machinery. Smirking, she made her way over to the mirrors in the back and sat on her but stretching herself out for a good fifteen minutes before starting on her workout.

"Ah that felt good" Akane yawned putting the weight back on the lift.

Glad that she got a workout she decided to work on her katas and went to the dancing room knowing it would have a bunch of mirrors for her to watch herself. The room had horizontal bars across the wall that she used for stretching her calves and back out. Mirrors lined one wall and she used them as she looked in her reflection checking her mistakes. After a while she got tired and sat on the floor covered in sweat and took a long drink from her water bottle. Akane got up taking a quick shower to wash off all the sweat before putting on comfortable clothes of sweat pants and a t-shirt.

"Hm this will probably help me on my Korean" Akane said mostly to herself as she put in a movie.

Putting on Japanese subtitles she talked in Japanese then in the Korean way marking down notes in the notepad she had asked/drawn for. She had asked several maids and butlers for a notepad but since they didn't speak Japanese she had to draw a notepad on the whiteboard on the fridge marked with reminders. After about five minutes of acting and drawing the maid finally got it and got her one from somewhere. Now she was using it for a self taught language lesson as she tried putting words together. Somehow being able to ask a maid if her notes were right in Korean, the maid and butler looked them over and corrected them. They crossed out the wrong ones and drew pictures so she would know and then put the Japanese above the picture.

"What are you doing?" her uncle asked plopping himself next to her.

"Trying to learn Korean" she said rewinding the movie.

"Let me see this" he said taking her notepad.

"Have fun trying to learn like this" he scoffed followed by a smirk.

"How did you learn?" she asked grabbing her notepad back.

"Here I'll show you" he said motioning her to follow him.

She followed him to his office where he sat her down at his computer and had her put on his headset. Turning his computer on, he clicked on a program then clicked on the 'Korean' language option. He said that she can learn Korean by following this program and then left her to go work out. Akane didn't know how long she was there learning Korean also marking notes and sentences on the notepad. Until a maid saying it was dinner time, she got off and stopped realizing that she understood a bit of what the maid said. Smiling she skipped of to dinner where she sat at a nice dinner table across from her uncle.

"What lesson are you on?" he asked cutting up his chicken.

"I'm on times but I'm still having trouble with the alphabet" she answered picking at her rice.

"Don't worry you'll get the hang of it, and so will your Korean handwriting" he encouraged her.

"Tomorrow, the girl group is going to be over to go over their song and choreography, so don't be surprised if a bunch of people come over" he warned her.

"Okay, I'll be on my best behavior" she smiled joking.

"Neh, they're sort of rude and prissy, if they're rude to you then you can be rude to them" he smiled seeing the wheels turning.

"That's mean" Akane said looking up from her plate.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Akane got dressed a bit nice since they were having guest and put on a dark blue sundress that had white lotuses and yellow flip flops. Stepping into the garden she felt the warm sun on her skin and smiled staring up at the bight clear blue sky. Kneeling by several rose bushes she was careful not to prick her finger as she took a bud in her hand. She took in the fresh fragrant scent and smiled large standing back up and dusting off her dress going back inside. The front door opened to reveal her uncle, several men, and then the pop girls her uncle had been talking about. There were five of them and they did look snooty and sort of bitchy. They wore nice but revealing clothes, lots of makeup, very high heels, and lots of jewelry. But being nice Akane approached them bowed saying hi as best as she could in Korean. Looking up she saw the girls look her over obviously knowing that she wasn't Korean and some scoffed at her attempt. Sweat dropping and now kind of pissed off she asked her uncle if she should make tea and coffee for them. Nodding she went off to the kitchen and was glad that she at least knew how to make tea and coffee even with her torturous cooking.

Satisfied and proud of herself for making adequate drinks she placed the tea in tea cups and the coffee in coffee cups on a tray. She even put a bowl of different rice crackers and bottle of cold water on the tray and carried it to the dance room where they were practicing. With a knock her uncle opened the door and she walked in offering the people around drinks and rice cracker snacks. The people thanked her grabbing the cold water and cups of hot drinks and munching on rice crackers. By the time the pop girls got theirs there were no more and they gave her dirty looks probably telling her off in Korean. In the middle of it, Akane turned around and walked out the room rolling her eyes while her uncle stifled a laugh. She went back in the kitchen grabbing more cups of tea, coffee and cold water bottles. Refilling the bowl with rice crackers she returned to the room seeing the girls dancing. She held the tray as she watched the girls.

The girls were dancing very proactive but it was also sexy in a way. She studied their bodies seeing them flow with the dances and in her mind copied them. Looking at the footwork she marked where they were hardest and where matched the hand and foot work. When the music ended, she saw that the girls knew she was watching them and smirked thinking they were all that. Then looking at them, she gave a fake yawn that must have seemed real to them because they gave her a dirty look. Akane was now thoroughly pissed off at them and tried her best not to break a mirror with their bodies. But she contained herself knowing she couldn't do that now that she was in Korea trying to live a new life.

"Oh my gosh, those girls were exhausting" her uncle dramatically said putting his back to the front door.

"I was trying so hard not to break a mirror with their bodies" Akane sighed flopping on the couch.

"I was trying so hard not to cancel the deal of producing their video" he raised both is eyebrows in a 'tell-me-about-it' way.

"I'm going to go practice" Akane said getting up.

Instead of changing into her gi, she put on a pair of black dancer shorts and a dark blue long sleeve shirt. Akane carried her tennis shoes over to the dance room and slipped her small feet in them rolling her ankle a bit before facing the mirrors. Akane closed her eyes falling into her own world where she was on a stage with the spot light on her. She reached up with one hand then brought it down running it down her body provocatively while rolling her neck back. Her eyes were kept closed as she went over the dance those girls were doing. Unlike those girls, she had this spirit in her dance adding a sort of 'omph' to it that those girls didn't have when they were trying to be sexy. Unknown to her, the dance room creaked open and someone spied in with a smirk seeing the younger girl dance.

Akane stopped getting to a part that she thought was inappropriate and uncomfortable for her. She had to squat with her knees spread bouncing sort of before popping back up then do sort of the same thing except standing with her legs apart. She would then turn around and put her hands behind her head while looking over her shoulder and run her hands over her body tenderly before going on her back. On her back she would lift her hips and roll them before slightly pounding on the floor and rolling onto her stomach pushing herself until sitting up. Sitting up she slowly got up making sure to pop her butt out running her hands up her legs before straitening out. Akane shook her head skipping that part and getting to the part where they would fan themselves while swaying their hips.

The door closed and Akane carried on copying the dance that the girls were doing. The girls came over various times to record and practice their dance. Each time Akane tried her best to not break their faces in and gave them as best hospitality as she could. Thought it seemed her tries were useless as they were still snooty and mean to her. Trying very hard not to use the tray as a weapon on them, Akane sat on her uncle's back who sat on the floor and watched them dancing. Lately Akane would mix in her katas with the dance to get her martial arts practice in as well. Akane didn't know her uncle knew she had taken a liking to the dance until one day when the girls left and her uncle asked the choreographer to stay a little bit.

"Can you teach my niece the dance?' her uncle asked in Korean to the instructor.

"Uncle what are you doing?" Akaned asked as her pushed her into her room telling her to change into comfortable clothes.

"He's going to teach you the dance, so have fun" her uncle said before closing the door.

The instructor wanted to teach her step by step when he played the music but instead she went to her own stage and started to do the dance. The instructor stopped talking and watched her as she danced with a smile seeing that she did almost better than the girls. But at the part where she was uncomfortable she looked at the instructor and he did a hand movement for her to carry on. With a gulp she returned to her stage where she stood looking at the spot light before continuing the dance. The instructor stopped her and went to correct her movement but Akame got up having not being used to being touched in such ways. She gulped apologizing in Korean and let him correct her movements. By the time she was done, she was sweating and wiped her forehead panting slightly.

"You did well" the instructor said.

"Thank you" Akane dipped her head politely.

From then on the instructor helped her with dancing teaching her new routines and even asked Akane some of the kata footwork she added in. But Akane wasn't always dancing, she still practiced her martial arts and her Uncle Koga helped here and there. He knew a bit of Anything Goes since he saw her father practice sometimes and picked up some tips and helped her a bit whenever he could. Then when Akane wasn't dancing or doing katas, she was learning to speak and write in Korean as well remember how to speak Japanese.

Months past and Akane missed her family at times. At times was tempted to pick up the phone and call them or send an email, but she stopped herself knowing that if she did it would only bring trouble to Korea. Akane sighed knowing her time was slowly creeping up on her as school was going to start again. Sometimes she thought about all the stuff her uncle spoiled her with, knowing when she returned they would only be given to Nabiki since as payment for stuff. But also, she would only feel silly like a child parading around in their mother's clothes with all the lovely things she had to wear now. Akane was torn between going back home to see her loved ones and see how they were doing and staying here to have the peace she wouldn't get in Nerima. Akane felt selfish to stay here and enjoy the things her family didn't get, but then here she was appreciated and was happy.

"School starting soon" her uncle said one day at dinner.

"I know, I can't believe it, three months past by so fast" Akane sighed deeply.

"You want to do a recording after dinner, I want to test this new thing that I bought" her uncle asked.

"Sure, sounds like fun" Akane nodded.


	7. Chapter 7

The Tendo house was in despair still wondering about the youngest of them. They expressed their grief in different way thought; Soun his crying, Nabiki her work, Genma staying in his panda form, Kasumi her house work. Ranma was the worst; he didn't eat, didn't sleep, didn't practice his marital arts; didn't do anything. He seemed like a dead soul dragging around the house without a purpose. She was gone for three months but it felt almost like three years to him feeling like it was his fault she was still gone. He still cursed himself for saying those words and not stopping her from retreating to her room to apologize. He wished that he knew where she was so he knew if she was okay or not. Even if it was three months he cringed at every time her father would say all the possibilities of her being kidnapped, held hostage, or even killed.

Nabiki was trying her best to find her younger sister, but there seemed not trail that she sister left behind. Her best guess was that she would find her sister once schooled started; Akane loved school, she would never miss it. Even if Akane took herself out of Furiken and enrolled into a new school, Nabiki would be able to find once able to hack into the school district system and search. Just the enroll of Akane's name would go into the district system and would give Nabiki an idea of where she was. She would have to wait until school was close to starting up again and then would start up her search again.

"You ready?" he uncle asked through the speaker.

"What should I sing?" she asked.

"Anything that you know" he shrugged.

She put the headphones on and waited until he gave her to okay, he made an 'o' with his fore finger and thumb. Akane took in a deep breathe before started to sing, it started out with her just humming slightly. Words started to slip from her lips catching her uncle as she went to test out the new voice distorter. He looked up hearing her soft angelic voice sing through the speakers and his jaw dropped. It seemed like he was looking at his sister again, singing her heart out to fulfill her dream of becoming a singer. His little niece closed her eyes and he saw her figure grow and mature until it became his sister singing the same song. His eyes widen remembering how much she wanted to be a singer and how hard she was working. But then he remembered how she threw it all away just to get married to a man. Akane's voice rang through his ears until she stopped and looked at him. Seeing his surprised wide eyed face, she sighed thinking she was really bad.

"Akane, sing another song for me" he said rather desperate.

Akane did as she ordered not knowing that her uncle had pressed the record button and was now messing with the equipment to enhance her voice. Smiling he looked at her through the glass seeing her smiling happy as she sang. When she was done, he told her to come hear how she sounded. Standing by him, she was him mess with the computer before hearing her voice over the speakers and instead of hearing it distorted it sounded almost like somebody else. She raised an eyebrow seeing her uncle lean back in his chair with a smile. Akane knew he was up to something and crossed her arms over her chest as a way to tell him to cough it up.

"Have you ever thought about being a singer?" he asked smirking.

"No, I always thought I was going to inherit the dojo" she shook her head.

"Well what if I gave this to my manager and see if I can get you sign?" he grinned.

"But I'm not even that good" Akane sighed.

"Are you kidding me, you sound just like your mother and your mother was so close to becoming a star, but she threw it away, you can become a pop star just like your mother almost was" her uncle sat up in his chair.

"But I still don't know how to sing that well in Korean" Akane made a face.

"Here go back in the booth and try to sing a song you know in Korean because I know you have been practicing your Korean by song as well" he said waving his finger at her.

"Stalker" she pulled down her eye lid as she went back to the recording booth.

She put the headphones back on and waited for his signal. He did the same hand sign and Akane exhaled heavily hoping he could hear her before singing 'Gee' by Girls Generation. It was a song that she found very cute and catchy even if it was a love song. She smiled remembering how she danced to it finding the lyrics adorable even if it was about a first love. Now here she was singing it like it was her own song and even doing a little dance in the booth. The song ended and she saw her uncle with a happy smile and went to his side waiting to hear the recording. He played it and her singing had actually sounded better with her speaking in Korean than her Japanese which was weird since she has known to speak in Japanese her whole life and was still learning Korean. He then took the original song she sang and covered her version with the original and played it together. Her voice fit in the song almost perfectly if it weren't for her voice being over powering at some parts. Her uncle smiled shaking his head in a way to tell him that he was right.

"So?" he asked.

"I guess I sound alright, but what about school?" she asked flopping in the arm chair.

"You can take online classes while be coming a pop star, so you can go at your own pace and still have time for other things" he said taking the seat next to her.

"But what about my family?" she asked facing him.

"Well you told me you came to get away from the trouble there, it's your choice to let them know what your doing and how you are, it's up to you" he patted her back.

"I guess you can show it to your friend to see if I'm any good" Akane said after a few minutes.

"If you're any good? Chipmunk you're voice is far beyond good" he punching her arm slightly.

"Whatever, just don't over do anything like you did to win my first karate tournament" she warned poking his chest.

"Oh God, that was so funny, hahahaha 'She was almost paralyzed from the waist down until karate changed her life' and you were like 'Uncle, put the trophy down, I lost, Uncle security is coming'" he laughed.

"You like ran around the whole platform with the trophy in your jacket while my dad got tackled for trying to grab you" she cracked up.

"Oh yeah and you jumped on the security and started pulling the guy's hair and that gave me the chance to run out of the tournament, hahaha you got banned for two years" he barely was able to say past his laughter.

"That was your fault, stupid" she pushed him off the arm rest.

The next morning, her uncle took the CD with the recording of her voice on it to work to show it to his manager hoping that his manager would sign her and he could produce her first video. He came into work with a smile passing by the girls that he had been working with and to his manager's office. His manager looked up at him from his newspaper and then to the CD that he held out to him. Taking it he put it in the stereo he had behind him pressing the play button and sat back in his chair waiting for it. Hearing the song, he almost scoffed thinking that it was just one of the Girl's Generation girl's singing by herself.

"Koga, what is this, this song is already made by Girl's Generation the singer should know that since she is one of them" his manager scoffed.

"Actually its not one of the original singer's, that girl singing is my niece we recorded it last night and I wanted to show it to you to see what you thought" Koga smirked.

"Bull stick you got a picture?" he asked leaning forward.

Koga gave the picture of Akane which was of them trying on hats in a random store. His manager raised an eyebrow seeing that Akane was of Japanese decent and not Korean. Looking up he saw how Akane looked slightly like him since he said that Akane is his niece. His manager looked at Akane's picture wondering how young she is as well as how good her voice was without the recording fixings. Sighing he looked at Koga and nodded slightly handing the CD back.

"I want to hear her for myself, I'm giving her three weeks to come up with her own song and her own beat for it, if she can't then forget about it" he said making Koga grin.

"Thank you sir, you won't be upset" Koga bowed.

Koga left his manager's office and went to call Akane who was currently messing around in the dance room. A maid came running in with the house phone and waited as Akane thanked her.  
"Akane, start writing a song up and try to think of a beat to go with it as well" she heard her uncle happily said.

"What? Why?" Akane asked wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Because you got your chance, my boss is giving you three weeks to make a song of your own, so go now and go write a song" he quickly explained before hanging up.

Akane found her self in her room at her desk with a thick pile of paper next to her and some crumple pieces off to the side and on the floor. Akane growled crumpling a piece of paper and tossing it over her shoulder along with others. Starting off with a title she growled scribbling over the whole paper before throwing herself back which ended up tipping the chair over. She landed with a thud hitting her head on the ground and growled throwing several wadded pieces of paper around. Akane had tried numerous times to come up with a song that she felt was truly her but the words just couldn't seem to come out.

"How can I write a song? I don't even know how to express myself" Akane said out loud.

'Well let's see, singers usually sing about what has happened to them; a friend dying, a break up, finding their love. Or they sing about how they felt at an experience' Akane thought then shot up into a sitting position.

"I'll write a song about everything that happened since I met Ranma" she said with a smile.

She picked her chair back up and started writing as fast as she could smiling as the words poured out. The words seemed to fit; going hand in hand almost fitting the description and feeling she wanted. A smile spread over her face as she finally put the pen down and started mouthing the words seeing if anything sounded wrong or right. But it seemed just one song wasn't enough, she picked the pen back up and put the first song aside and started to right again. Words just spilled from her and spilled onto the paper until her hand cramped up and she stopped putting the pen down to massage her hand. She went over them fixing any mistakes that she made or added anything. Satisfied, she paper clipped them together and put them in a stack on her desk stretching out her stiff limbs.

"Have you written up your song?" her uncle asked over dinner.

"Yeah, I wrote up three songs" Akane nodded proud.

"What? Already? Do you know how to sing them in Korean?" he asked his eyes wide as saucers.

"Not, but it's going to take some time before I can, but I'm going to practice as much as I can" she smiled wide.

"Well that's good, I'm proud" her uncle smiled at her.

After dinner and chocolate dipped strawberries as a celebratory thing, Akane went rewriting her songs in Korean but still kept the Japanese version. Then when they were revised and fixed, Akane sang them softly thinking how she wanted the song to be. All over the page she wrote notes of what kind of song she wanted it to be. Akane couldn't be any happier than she was right now thinking of how her songs explained how she felt in the situations; how they reflected her. But in the back of her mind she couldn't help but think of her family in Nerima thinking how they were.


	8. Chapter 8

A week later, he uncle had hired a woman to help her with her voice to perfect it. The woman helped her with reach different pitches that Akane hadn't been able to before and control her voice a bit more. Since Akane didn't have much longer to actually perfect her voice, the woman and her uncle reached an agreement. The agreement was if Koga's manager liked Akane's song and voice then the woman would continue to teach Akane vocal lessons. All the while of the vocal lessons Akane had messed around with her uncle's studio computer trying to come up with the beat that she wanted to go along with the song she would perform for Uncle Koga's boss.

With the time her uncle had they would have Akane practice the song to the beat and listen to it afterwards correcting anything that sounded wrong. They went over the song over and over again with the vocal teacher, with her uncle, and even preformed it for the choreographer. It was good practice for Akane since she was still self conscience about singing. But after singing it so many times now, she had the words glued in her mind and sang it wherever. She sang it in the shower, walking around the house, while playing tennis, while working out, even hummed it to herself when she ate. Akane was too busy caught up with her song that she wasn't able to practice her marital arts that much with the weeks she had.

"Okay, let me here it" Uncle Koga's boss gruffly in the studio.

Akane stood in the booth with the headphones on waiting for her uncle to give her the okay and start playing the music. She tried to keep calm as she saw her uncle messing with the computer before making an 'o' with his forefinger and thumb. The music started to play and Akane waited until her part. Her heart thumped as she looked at his boss with his arms crossed over his chest waiting to either be amazed or disappointed. She looked at the microphone that hug just by her mouth and closed her eyes letting out a shaky breathe finding herself on her stage. On her stage she was shadowed with an old fashion microphone in front of her until she started to sing. At the first word, the spot light hit her and she lost herself in the music.

_You walked into my life with a smile_

_A smile that was all it took to become so close to me_

_Even if we did fight over everything, I knew everything about you _

_And you knew everything about me; almost like soul mates_

_We would talk for hours on my rooftop not knowing when the sun will rise_

_But that was fine it meant more time for just you and me_

Koga's boss uncrossed his arms and sat up right in his seat his eyes captivated by Akane as she sang her sweet song. To him it sounded like an angel singing in the booth right now. Her sweet soft voice matched perfectly with the sweetness of the song. Koga looked down at his boss seeing his trance face by his niece and smiled. Akane had her back to the men and was caught with her song; she didn't know that her uncle's boss was sold on her song already.

_But that smile caused so much trouble as girls chased you all around _

_Boys envied you and girls wanted you, but you had me_

_You had me the first time you smiled_

_It was like seeing a shoot star shower on Christmas night_

_I can still remember how we got off on the wrong foot _

_And would insult each other but we grew so close; almost like lovers_

Before Akane could finish her song, her uncle's boss got up and stopped the music. She turned towards him and looked to see if he thought the song was bad or she was bad. He sat back in his chair heavily and crossed his arms. Looking at her uncle, she was him shrug slightly and then looked back at his boss. His boss sat up right in his chair and crossed on leg looking straight at her before clapping. She was caught off guard and waited to see if he would insult her but instead he pressed the speaker button.

"You got a deal" were his words.

"What! Oh my god!" Akane squealed jumping up and down.

Later when Akane was her vocal teacher she jumped on her saying she got the deal. The woman squealed jumping up and down with Akane who was doing the Johnny Bravo. Her uncle's boss said that he would work on getting her name out while she worked on more songs. Akane wanted to get started, but the woman stopped her as Uncle Koga came up to them and said he was going to take them out for dinner. The butlers and maids were given the rest of the day off as they loaded up into Uncle Koga's car with Koga driving since he gave the driver the day off.

"To Akane" her vocal teacher, Miss Hyo-Sonn, said raising her champagne glass.

"No, to chance" Akane shook her head raising her glass of soda.

"How about just to Korea" Uncle Koga said raising his champagne glass.

"To Korea" they said in unison.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ranma where are you going?" Soun asked.

"I'm going to go look for Akane, it's been months already" Ranma answered making his way for the front door.

"But you don't know where you're going or where she is" Genma sign said.

"Does it matter?" Ranma growled putting on his shoes.

"Yes it does matter, what if Akane is perfectly fine and you go running off on your own and end up getting hurt, kidnapped, or even killed and then Akane comes back home but you can't see her because you're dead or something?" Nabiki asked putting her hands on her hips.

This make Ranma stop as Nabiki's words settled it. She was right, school was starting and Akane loved school, she would never miss school for anything. If Akane did come back it would be about before school started so she wouldn't miss anything. If he left now and Akane came back he wouldn't be able to see her since she was already home where she rightfully belonged. He sighed taking his shoes off and putting his backpack back in his room. Nabiki looked at her tablet still having no sign of any Akane ever leaving Nerima. School was so close, but yet it seemed like nobody could hang on for much longer.

"Don't be nervous okay?" Miss Hyo-Sonn said taking Akane's shaky hands in hers.

"I can't help it, I haven't sang anything in front of this many people in years" Akane said with a shaky smile.

"Come on you've been practicing for almost four months and you did so well. You were barely able to speak Korean when you came out with your first song with your uncle's boss loved. Now you're fluent in just seven months of using that language program. Not only that but your voice has improved since I worked with you and your songs are amazing. And since you've been taking on line courses you've had lots of free time to practice" Miss Hyo-Sann encouraged.

"You sure I'm going to do great?" Akane asked with a fearful face.

"I'm sure you're going to be excellent after all you are Pearl" she smiled at her.

Pearl; her stage name. Her uncle came up with it after she had asked him to help her with a stage name for herself. Her uncle insisted it saying that she was a like a pure pink pearl; rare and unique. He said that pearls are just made from the smallest grain of sand that can turn into something so beautiful. She was like a pearl; just a teenage girl wanting to get away at first but then after time she began to grown into the pop star she is becoming. She hasn't completely turned into a pearl, but she's almost there.

She stood up from her seat balancing herself on the heels she wore. Akane was done up from head to toe for her first performance after working almost six months on the song she would perform. Her hair was pulled back in a small ponytail with her bangs pinned back and pouf up. She wore a skin tight plain peach dress that had a low opening in the back. Her heels were wedges covered in the same white color as the white pearl necklace she wore. Her make up was really light making her cheeks look rosy and plump, her lips soft and pouty, eyes big and cute. Looking past the curtain she saw her uncle and his boss in the front seat waiting for her turn to sing.

"Our next singer, she's very new and is a bit shy and nervous I would say since this is her first performance singing 'Last one' here she is Pearl" the announcer introduced before leaving the stage.

The stage went back as Akane rushed to her place on stage at a desk which was covered with flowers. Music started to play as the spot light hit some kids her age entering in from the other side and sitting at desks in front of her. The spot light stayed on one boy with neatly combed sandy blond hair and brown eyes wearing a school uniform. The audience was quiet wondering what was going on as the boy pretended to talk to people around him. Akane started to sing as another spot light hit her in the seat covered with flowers.

_You were always with your friends laughing as I sat back and watched_

_I didn't mind_

_As long as I got to sit here and see you smile from afar_

_You _

_You always looked so happy when you were with your friends_

_And I didn't mind _

_As long as I got to hear your laugh _

_But how could you never know that I was here?_

_I was always the first one to arrive and the last one to leave_

_I was always there to see you come and go_

_How could not notice me?_

_I guess I'll be the last one to get your attention_

_The last one to feel your arms around me_

_The last one to call you mine_

_But I'll be the first one to say _

_I love you _

Akane got up from the desk and made her way to the boy who pretended she wasn't there. He kept on talking to the other people around him as well as the other people kept talking to him. It was like she wasn't there singing to him or touching his face or arm. The people in the audience seemed to disappear to her as she imagined the boy features to change to black hair and blue eyes. Akane sang the chorus again this time pulling the boy up by his arm and to the center of the stage. This time he noticed her as she brushed the back of her hand on his cheek and he took it with both of his hands. The other people pushed the desks behind stage but no one seemed to notice as the boy seemed to be caught by Akane. Akane stretched out the last 'I love you' of the song as the boy took both of her hands in his and pressed their foreheads together. The stage darkened and the audience exploded with cheers while the two of them hurried off the stage.

"You were great" Miss Hyo-Sonn said with tears in her eyes.

"I was so nervous, thank you" Akane said enveloping the elder woman in a hug.

"I'm so proud, ah I told myself I wouldn't cry" Miss Hyo-Sonn fanned her face.

"No don't cry, you'll ruin your make up" Akane said grabbing a tissue for her.

"Hello ladies, oh my gosh you were great Akane" her uncle said approaching them.

"Thank you, I thought I would get so nervous and mess up" Akane put a hand to her heart.

"No you were absolutely stunning" her uncle's boss, Mr. Byung-Hee, complimented.

"Thank you" Akane blushed.

"I'd love to celebrate, but I have to go work with a business man that would like to sponsor Akane" Mr. Byung-Hee said making Akane jump up and down.

"Yup, now excuse me" he bowed before leaving.

"Well let's celebrate all week long because Mr. Byung-Hee told me some news of a photo shot and shooting a music video for your first album" Uncle Koga said making Akane squeal.

They left the show easily escaping paparazzi asking who this 'Pearl' was and if she is a new item. They celebrated at a restaurant having a nice dinner and a nice dessert of a chocolate overload. Several other singers that had been at the theatre were at the same restaurant as well. Some people congratulated her on her first performance and on the song she sang. Some girls that were romantic loved the story behind it and the end scene with her and the boy, Dae-Ho. Some told her that she had an amazing soft sweet voice, but asked about her others songs. Akane simply said it was a secret and they laughed saying they couldn't wait to hear her first album.


	10. Chapter 10

"You said you would find her, why haven't you found her?" Ranma asked Nabiki.

"She isn't in the school system like I thought she was. I got the same name some places, but not the same Akane. But it seems she was able to not leave any sign of her like she doesn't exist anymore" Nabiki growled pressing buttons on her tablet.

"Stop giving me excuses" Ranma yelled.

"Don't think you're the only worried about her Satome. You're not the one going through files and files of bull shit; all I've seen you do is lug around and have temper tantrums. I have been working my ass off to find her, so get off my back and go away!" Nabiki yelled about to throw her snow globe at him.

The Tendo house had been falling apart. Kasumi barely even talks anymore and barely ever stops cooking or cleaning. Nabiki locks herself in her work with her school work and detective work on finding Akane. Soun had thought of his daughter dead and has a shrine of her next to his wife's with the picture of them with Toma. He prays to Kami everyday praying to her soul to rest in peace. P-chan is never P-chan anymore, he spends most of his time curled up in a ball on her bed crying his little piggy heart out when he's not Ryoga. Genma hasn't been out of his panda form in months as a way to not show the grief and sadness on his face. Ranma was like a dead body around the house doing his chores like clockwork. He doesn't do his kata's anymore nor does he eat as much, even with how much Kasumi cooks to keep her mind off Akane. His body is weak and skinny now, anyone could beat him up now, even Gosunkugi. But everyone at school knew how depressed he was without Akane and stayed away from him having such a short temper now a day at the mere mention of Akane's name.

"You want to go out for a ride?" Uncle Koga asked.

"Yeah, sure" Akane nodded getting up from the couch.

Akane quickly changed from her lounging around clothes to silk zebra patterned neck tied blouse with dark skinny jeans and black ballet flats. Since her uncle was always so nicely dressed, Akane thought it was appropriate she was just as nicely dressed when they went out. Going into his black convertible, she jumped into the passenger seat completely missing the door and landing perfectly in the seat. Her uncle rolled his eyes as he got in the normal way and started driving towards town. Akane got used to the expensive stores and restaurants since her uncle always found something to celebrate about. He stopped parking along the curb of the boardwalk and locked the car as they got out to go walking along. They didn't do much except take some pictures, eat lots of junk, buy some ties for her uncle, and walk around. It was until Akane saw a salon and stopped looking at the photos of the woman in front of the shop. Their hair looked like this place did a good job and it showed they could do various hairstyles. Her uncle saw her stop and looked seeing the salon.

"You want to get something done?" he asked pointing to the door.

"No I was looking at that woman's hair" Akane covered up.

The woman had blond hair so bleached it was white. The woman tried making his sultry face that Akane thought she failed at. The woman's white hair also had ice blue tips which Akane thought were kind of cool.

"You want to bleach your hair?" Uncle Koga asked.

"No" she shook her head.

"You sure?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

'You're a new person Akane; new home, new name, new school might as well get a new look' Akane thought.

"On second thought, yeah I want to bleach my hair" Akane nodded before going in.

Turns out, bleaching was a long process so her uncle got them dinner which was now waiting in the car. He sat at the lobby now reading a magazine yawning slightly after waiting almost two hours. Akane yawned about to fall asleep but couldn't from the stinging of the bleach on her scalp. She was forbidden from scratching at it which was making the stinging pains excruciating since she couldn't itch them. After almost a half hour of torture the woman got back to her and rinsed out the bleach while massaging something in her hair that would make it soft again. The woman towel dried her hair and blow dried it while brushing it out for her. When the woman was done, she turned the chair around for Akane. Akane almost jumped back seeing a girl staring back at her.

That girl had snowy white hair going well with her big light brown eyes and fair complexion. The white hair brought of her features even more making her face look rosy and give it a glow. White brought of the light almost caramel color of her eyes like a sea of honey upon her milky face. The girl she as looking at, she looked pretty with her snowy white hair instead of the dark blue she lived with. That girl was her; Akane.

"Oh my gosh, you are not my niece" her Uncle Koga gasped.

"You like it?" she asked doing a spin.

"You look lovely" he said kissing her forehead.


	11. Chapter 11

Akane logged off of the computer that said 'Welcome student Pearl Matsuhara' and stretched her limbs out. She was dressed ready to go to a photo shot her uncle scheduled for her the cover of her first album. Since she was going to be dressed there, she just wore a long sleeve white cropped shirt with a blue tang top underneath and black yoga pants. Her hair was pulled back by a headband as she wore no make up and flip flop instead of heels. She was currently waiting for her uncle who was getting dressed in his usual business suits.

"Ready?" he asked when he saw what she was wearing.

"Yeah, why?" she asked seeing his face.

"You're wearing that?" he asked.

"Yeah, since I'm getting dressed there I might as arrive wearing comfortable clothes" she smiled putting her fists on her hips.

"Okay, I see the logic in that" he waved his head a bit.

They hurried to his car where Akane took off her flip flops and pressed her feet again the glove compartment. She put her hands up enjoying the nice breeze of her uncle's black convertible. Her uncle smiled seeing her from the corner of his eye seeing how she loved the rush of the air flowing past her. They arrived at the set and walked in where he was sat in a chair and a coffee was put in his hand. Akane on the other hand was pulled to a dressing room where a man came over to her.

"Okay Pearl, I've looked over all the songs that your uncle had emailed over to me and they all sing the girl next door. So were going to put you in simple clothes and take a picture that matches that description. But since your song 'Last One' is your first performed song, we'll make it the cover. So right now we're going to put you in a school uniform so off you go" the man said before Akane could say anything.

She got pulled behind a changing curtain where women stripped her down and put her in a school uniform. The school uniform was simple with a white long sleeve button up with a black sort of tang top school dress over. She wore white leg warmers take went over her black loafers a bit as they sat her down in the make up room. With her short hair they just put a ribbon in her hair tying it in a big bow on top. They made her face seem like she was eternally blushing with how rosy her cheeks were and also made her eyes seem bigger and cuter. They sat her down on the set in a regular school desk. Akane pretended like her was looking over to her left at a cute boy by making her eye big and putting her fists under her chin. Then they took pictures from the back as they seated a boy a few seat in front of her to her left.

"It's so cute" she commented when she saw the end picture.

They used her head shot in a corner of the page with the back picture of her looking at the boy to her left as the main picture. They drew arrows from her eyes to the boy to point out her line of sight, which added cuteness. Akane was then pulled off to the changing room where she was put in some nerdy but cute clothes. She wore a pink button up with a white sort of Christmas sweater over that so the hem and collar stuck out. With that she wore jean shorts and running shoes with tube socks. Adding to the cuteness she pulled one tube sock up and one down and then put tape on the middle of the big square glasses they gave her. They took out the bow and put a small amount of hair in a ponytail with a smaller red ribbon.

Some pretty girls joined her on the set outside of the building where the three girls sat on a bench. Akane was given a camera and was said to looking like the outcast of them sine she's supposed to be the girl next door. So she pretended to take pictures of them doing the typical duck lips and pouty face Akane seen girls do over the internet. Then when they would sit, Akane would stand off to the sit or be in the background. Doing the girl next door came almost naturally to her have to fight Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi for Ranma's attention. So this photo shoot was almost a piece of cake when she was pulled back to the changing room and stripped and clothes again.

Still being the girl next door, she was got put in a long dark blue sweater dress that was too big for her, black leather boots, and the same glasses and hairstyle. Another girl from the scene before was there dolled up and Akane was handed a bunch of designer boxes and bags and even a Chihuahua. The girl pretended to give Akane a bunch of designer boxes that Akane pretended were heavy and wobbly. The last picture was of the girl strutting away with the Chihuahua while Akane was on the ground with the boxes all around her in mayhem and she rolled her eyes.

"Okay this the last photo shot and you will be all glam up with the girls at your feet" the man from before said.

She got stripped and clothed once again. This time she got put in a white strapless dress that was tight until it got to her waist where it flowed in a crimped style skirt. Just above the skirt was a small band of white with a small white bow at her left hip. Her bleached white hair got curled as much as it could with one side pinned back with pearl pins matching the pearl necklace and bracelet she wore. The make up artists put on sparkly pink lip gloss, mascara until her eyes were big and cute again, rosy glowing cheeks, and sparkly eye shadow. She got up on a stand with the girls from before sitting on the steps around her. Akane put on her best innocent face with her hands folded neat on her lap. Akane mostly just stood there with her innocent face on or she would look down at the girls sitting around her.

"And that's a wrap" the man said holding up a fan.  
"The pictures are wonderful and once we have your album finish we'll use the best photos for the lyric booklet inside" he explained to her.

"Okay, just don't pick any bad pictures of me" Akane joked.

"What, you look absolutely fabulous in your pictures" he complimented.

"Well, thank you and I hope to see you again" she smiled before getting pulled to the changing room again.

"Ah let's go watch a movie" her uncle said on the way home.

"You want to go see a movie?" she asked sort of taken back.

"Yeah, I want to go see this one chick flick that's out" he nodded pulling up to the movie theatre.

"Okay, lets go watch a chick flick" Akane chuckled.

The chick flick was ridiculous. It was filled with sappy corny love lines, flat out sappy love scenes, filled with drama, and lots and lots of tears. While Akane was in disbelief of the movie she could hear some loud sniffling and nose blowing and looked in the direction. Her jaw dropped seeing her uncle bawling his eyes out with a tissue over the tub of popcorn they ordered. He sniffled cleaning his nose with the tissue then munching on some popcorn but then started to cry again. Akane looked at the movie to see the main heroin trying to talk her best friend out of sleeping with some guy. She sat back in her seat and sighed deeply not believing that her uncle, a grown almost thirty something man, was crying over a chick flick. Instead of watching the movie, Akane started to play videogames on her uncle's phone turning the volume all the way down.

"That was a good movie" her uncle said as they were driving back to the house.

"I don't know how you were able to watch the movie past all your tears" she teased with a grin.

"What tears? You're crazy" he huffed like she was joking.

"You were crying like the whole movie, I saw you" she pushed seeing he wasn't going to admit it.

"I was not crying, maybe you were the one crying and when you looked at me you thought I was crying, or something but I was not crying" he shook his head.

"I was not crying I know that for a fact, you were the one crying because I could hear you sniffling so I know it was you" Akane yelled getting in the conversation.

"No I was not crying it was you because I thought I heard you" he said with a smile hearing her voice squeak up.

The two of them started to get into the argument over who was crying in the theatre to where they were overlapping each other's yelling. The volume increased until they got to the house and still argued only stopping to ask the head cook to not make lunch since they already ate. After that they kept on arguing and the maids and butlers stayed clear away from them. Akane stopped yelling for a second to grab an orange off the fruit display and shove it in her uncle's mouth. He stopped yelling and Akane yelled 'tag' poking his stomach before running away. Her uncle taking a few minutes to process finally realized what happened and ran after Akane. Akane screamed jumping over the couch and to the outside backyard. She long abandoned her flip flops so her bare feet made no sound against the grass. Her uncle's heavy footsteps were heard behind her as she used all her might to jump and grab a tree trunk. Quickly as she could she started climbing as fast as she could go until she saw her uncle just standing there.

"I can't climb trees, I'm wearing a business suit" he yelled up to her.

"Then I guess I win" Akane stuck her tongue out at him.

"Cheater" he stuck his tongue out at her.

"It's not called cheating, it'd be called cheating if I ran in the maid's bathroom since only female's can go in there and you're not a female" she pulled her eye lid down with her tongue out.

"Alright you win, come on down, it's hot out here" he motioned her to come down.

"Say you were crying" Akane said not being one to give up.

"Fine I, Koga Matsuhara, cried at a chick flick" he spread his arms out admitting it.

"Okay, I'm coming down then" Akane said shimming down the tree

She jumped down the last few branches next to her uncle who raced her back to the house. He cheated and tripped her making Akane land on her face, but she somersaulted forward and regained her balance. Uncle Koga was running with his arms swaying above him as he jumped through the door with a win. Akane ran through the door frame and jumped on his back making his fall forward as she gave a karate cry. She jumped off his back and took a run for it but he grabbed her ankle making her fall. She screamed bloody murder as her uncle pulled her towards him and started tickling her sides.


	12. Chapter 12

"So Pearl, I understand that you were sixteen when you first started your album but you are now seventeen finishing up your junior year of high school" the host asked into the microphone.

"Yes I started working on my first album over summer vacation, I am almost done with my junior year, I'm actually a little farther ahead since I take classes online at my own pace to manage my career and school" Akane nodded.

"Well, Pearl you've been in the music business for a while, can you tell people who want to make it big in the music industry any advice?" he asked pointing to the audience.

"Take advantage of every chance you have, I had it easy since my uncle is in the music business, so if you get the chance to perform even at just a local bar or a school, it's still experience and you still get to perform, and every artist has had to make it up the ladder so if you just starting out, don't expect to just go right in and have gigs left and right" Akane said looking directly into the camera.

"Speaking out performing, you said you would perform your newest song, 'Look at me' for us right?" he asked making the audience cheer.

"Yes, and I will be doing that just after the break" she nodded as they went to commercial.

She got up from the chair on stage that she was doing a live interview on. She got pulled back stage after she bowed to the audience blowing a few kisses at them. In the changing room she got changed out of her yellow dress and white strappy sandals. She got put into a long sleeve cheetah dress. It went to just above her knees and tied around her neck with long sleeves that were sort of puffy and ended with a ruffle at her wrist. People put on black stilettos for her while the make up artists worked their magic. Magic that gave her bold red lips, made her cheek bones look more prominent, fierce eye make up that made them look sexy. She looked more mature and sultry but appropriate enough for her age. With her hair they straightened it to make it looked edgier and used something to make it look like it had volume.

"And we're back from commercial, if you were with us before the commercial you would know that the beloved and charming Pearl will be playing her latest song 'Look at me' right here right on this stage" the host said as they came back from commercial.

Several girls stood in a line at the back of the stage wearing plain black dresses with their hair all done up. The music played and they slowly strutted to the front of the stage and Akane appeared from the side of the stage with a microphone in hand. Her voice was soft as she made her way gracefully to the middle of the stage and faced the audience. She fell back with the dancers as the stage shadowed a bit but Akane kept on singing.

_You had you're chance_

_But you blew it over to seem like such a cool guy _

_And now you're going to have to suffer _

The beat of the music started to get more uplifted and bouncy. Akane stopped singing for a bit making the audience wonder if she was done singing or if something wrong happened. But then fireworks exploded catching them off guard as Akane jumped at the same moment of the fireworks. The audience cheered as loud as they could as Akane stood close to the edge of the stage singing out to the crowd.

_You could've had it all with me_

_Look at what you had missed out on _

_So now I hope you're happy with the decision you have made_

_It's not my problem, so don't bother anymore _

_Go ahead and suffer_

Akane continued on to sing the word 'suffer' until the song ended and she dropped the hand holding the microphone to her side. She smiled at the audience waving out to her fans as they waved signs with her name on them crying out to her. The host came back on stage standing next to her to end the show. She said goodbye to the viewers watching at home and waved at the camera before it cut off. She sighed going to back stage again after waving and blowing more kisses at the audience and sat in her seat. She was given a bottle of ice cold water and sighed having it been kind of hot on stage and the ice cold beverage felt good hydrating her whole body. The host came up to her and said thanks for her accepting the invite to having an interview on the show.

"Your welcome, I was thrilled to have gotten your invitation" Akane gave a golden smile to him.

"Well, you were very charming and I hope to see you again" he bowed to her.

"Thank you and I hope to see you again" she dipped her head.

"You looked so lovely out there" Miss Hyo-Sonn clapped her hands.

"Thank you so much, I couldn't have done it without you" Akane held the elder woman's hands.

"Oh yes, you could have, oh well I guess I did help a little" the elder woman giggled.

"My little niece is becoming such a big star" her uncle fake cried.

"Uncle Koga, don't cry" she teased making his make a face at her.

"Well guess what, I cleared this whole week for you to relax" he grinned at her.

"Oh my gosh, thank you Uncle" she sighed deeply.

Akane had been so busy lately with the photo shots, music videos, interviews, fan mail, autograph signing, dance performances, and song rehearsals. It was all so very tiring but the end result of her first album made Akane smile a smile she hadn't in a while. The cover was of her looking at the boy in the classroom. The lyric booklet inside had her pictures of being the girl next door and standing in the background. Then the CD cover was her name in curly q's with the album name 'Girl in the Back' in the same lettering. But then when the CD was taken out, the picture of her all dolled up and those girls at her feet were shown. It was a good album filled with all these songs of how Akane felt. But with all the work she had been doing, she had been so tired that the week of relaxation sounded so nice.

"And your sponsor would like to take you and Miss Hyo-Sonn to a spa as his first gift" he said holding up two spa tickets.

"Oh my" Miss Hyo-Sonn breathed.

"Who is this sponsor, I have to go thank him" Akane stood up.

"Well he already left, on account of his son saying he should sponsor you, so don't worry just wait until next time" her uncle said tucking the tickets into his suit.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day Akane found her self in a deep mud bath next to Miss Hyo-Sonn who moaned relaxed. Akane had her hair pulled up and had a headband pushing all the strays away from her neck. Miss Hyo-Sonn did the same as she leaned against the tubs rim releasing another moan at the mud's work against her aged skin. Akane smiled and closed her eyes leaning against the tubs rim as well enjoying the spa treatment. After the mud bath, the two women got their Swedish treatment as well as other treatments for their face, skin, nails, and such others. The day ended with the women in a hot springs about to fall asleep from everything that happened in the day. Akane leaned against the rim nodding off to sleep when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Looking up she saw Miss Hyo-Sonn standing over her with a robe around her telling her it was time to come out.

"How do you girls feel?" Uncle Koga asked when he came to pick them up.

"That place was so relaxing, you should have come with us" Akane stretched her arms out.

"No thanks no manly man goes to a spa" he shook his head.

"Actually I think your skin needs to be moisturized as well as needing a much bath and that herbal hot spring" Miss Hyo-Sonn joked.

"Okay, enough of how dry my skin is" he waved the two of them off.

Time seemed to pass on by for both Akane and the Tendo house. The Tendo house seemed to be filled with dread and despair like the family members had seen hell and back. There was no sense of happiness or cheer in that house anymore. Everyone had bags under their eyes, wrinkles lining their faces, skin paler than Gosunkagi, weight loss that could make a model jealous. It seemed like the only cure for the depression would be Akane; but everyone knew that she wouldn't be coming back.

For Akane it was different. She was busy with her own life and her own career to remember her old life in Japan. There was a sense of happiness that she had never experienced before and she liked it much better than what she usual felt in Japan. Her fame grew from the mysterious girl that sang one song on her first performance to the charming Pearl. Everywhere she saw headlines of herself. 'Humble Pearl sends gracious donation to orphanage', 'Pearl looks fabulous on red carpet', 'Pearl welcomes fans over for tea party', but the most recent was 'Sweet turned Fierce'. Akane was breaking out of her first image of being the girl next door. The girl next door was her old image along with her old life; it was now a change of image.

"So you say that your new album will be completely different than 'Girl in the Back'?" one of the host asked.

"Yes, I want it to be something totally different, instead of sweet and cute it's going to be electrifying and I want to say hot" Akane giggled.

"Well I hope you're going to still be this charming and polite" the second host complimented.

"Oh don't worry, it's just the album image I'm changing, I'm not changing myself" she shook her head.

"Alright well, we wish you good luck on your new album, but I hear that you're also going to be staring in a TV show called 'Running into Trouble' is that right?" the first host asked.

"Yes I will be playing the mischievous and trouble making Gu Ae-Cha, the younger sister of Gu Man-Shik. The whole TV series is Ae-Cha feels alone and abandoned since Man-Shik is always working, going to meetings, on dinner dates, but basically leaving her home alone. So she does all these bad things thinking that's the only way to get his attention not realizing that he's working so hard to make sure they live a good life since growing up with their parents they lived in a bad life poverty" Akane explained.

"How sweet, well it was nice to see you again, and we bid all you viewers at home a farewell until next time" the first host said ending the TV interview.

Akane got up from the seat on stage and to the back stage. She blew kisses and waved at the audience screaming out at them. She sat in her chair and sighed deeply as the makeup artist touched up her make up patting away sweat and fixing it up. Alarmed by a tickle in her nose she put her hand up and sneezed into the crock of her arm. Her chest ached as she sneezed and her head had a sort of thumping as Akane leaned back in her chair. Her face exploded with heat feeling like the temperature was rising with each heart beat, but instead of dealing with it she brushed it aside sipping on a bottle of cold water.

The car ride home had made her feel sick to her stomach like she was going to throw up but she chocked down the feeling and went to her room to lie down. But rest had to wait as she saw the pile of fan mail on her bed and sighed flopping on her bed. She sat there on her bed Indian style answering all the fan mail not stopping to eat or go to the bathroom until she was done. But even when she was done all she wanted to do was go to sleep; and she did. She lied down in the mix of all the fan mail and envelops and fell into a deep that she had been craving for some time.

"Okay I want you to put your hands on the seat of the chair and then straighten up and put on hand on the back of your hip while looking over your shoulder. After than step up with your right foot and do a body roll then step up with these two holding your hands, and then do the routine" the director told her as she fixed her hair.

Her face felt hot and her body felt clammy and hot as well, but she had to get this part down then she could take a break and relax a bit. She nodded as she could feel her whole body start breaking out in a sweat as the make up artists dabbed at the sweat. The fact of the leather corset she wore and black leather pants probably didn't help with it. Standing up again, a rush of nausea came over her but Akane simply closed her eyes and regained her balance before going to the stand that held a throne.

She looked at the director and he gave her the okay as he started the camera again and she got on all fours crawling up the stairs to the throne. Her voice came out weak and shaky as she sang getting to the throne and putting her hands on it waving her but a bit before straightening out and putting a hand on her hips looking at the camera over her shoulder. She wasn't sure how she sounded but hearing herself she could tell the sickness showed in her quivering voice. She put her black heeled foot on the seat of the throne before doing a body roll as two buff men came to her side and helped her stand on the throne. Akane continued singing and dancing the routine she practiced over and over again, but then stopped her vision becoming blurry and fuzzy. Then her ability to keep her body up failed her as her body came crashing down from the throne.

Everyone watched as she fell from standing on the throne but one of the buff men that helped her up there was fast enough to catch her from his place at the end of the five steps around the throne. The direction hurried over to her as well as her uncle and Miss Hyo-Sonn as the buff man carried her over to a couch. People called first aid as make up artists ran to get her ice packs and water. People crowded around Akane as she laid on the couch red faced breaking out in sweat breathing heavily as first aid came to the rescue.

"She's very stressed out and needs rest and sleep, when was the last time she got a full rest or had a good meal?" the doctor asked her uncle.

"Well I don't really know her sleeping habits but we try to make sure she eats a good full meal" her uncle answered worried.

"Well she had passed out from fatigue, stress, and sleep deprived as well as having a slight fever and weight loss" the doctor informed them.

"When will she get better?" Miss Hyo-Sonn asked.

"We'll keep her here for a few days and after some sleep and some food she'll be better" the doctor said marking something on his clip board.

They looked at the frail girl sleeping heavily on the hospital bed with an IV in her arm. Her breathing seemed to be kind of deep and her body temperature hot as they looked at her from the door. News got out of her passing out from working so much and press surrounded the hospital demanding to speak to Akane's uncle. He stayed by her side most of the time rearranging the teddy bears, flowers, balloons, gift baskets, and fan mail around the hospital room. Even if she was only there for three days to regain her strength and if it was only for being a little sick it seemed like her fans thought she was going to die. But the day she got out of the hospital and walked through the hospital doors she was attacked by fans, paparazzi, and press. Getting to the car door, she turned to them and folded her hands neatly on her lap.

"Please, I am fine now I was just a little sick, I am sorry to have made you all worry so much about me. But please while we are on the subject of health I would like to say a word to the fans living on my front lawn. Please all go home and see your families and friends, I thank you for being my fans but eating fast food and stuff from boxes all the time isn't healthy and sleeping on the ground isn't good for your backs. Go home and sleep on a real bed and eat a real meal, that is all" she dipped her head before getting in the car.

"Singer Pearl cares for fans even when sick" was almost the only headline Akane saw when she went back to doing her music video almost a week later. Ever since the episode of her fainting, the director makes sure to order lunches for everyone, compliments to Akane. Akane makes sure to nap when she can even on set backstage and eat big healthy meals when she can. Also her uncle helped her answer fan mail and fan email when ever she had a lot. Then Miss Hyo-Sonn would help sign autographs while doing vocal lessons. With the responsibility of shooting almost three more music videos, splitting up the work helped Akane keep healthy.


	14. Chapter 14

"This dance doesn't seem to fit the song" Akane said to the choreographer.

"Well isn't the song about sexiness?" he asked stopping the routine.

"No it's about how I changed" she shook her head.

"Well the title being 'Sexy' could've fooled me" he said with a face.

"Well I'm sexy now, aren't I?" she asked striking a pose.

"No you're still cute" he laughed.

"Jerk" Akane huffed to herself.

"Which is why we're here" a voice said catching them off guard.

The two of them looked to see Uncle Koga with five boys behind him. Akane's eyes got wide realizing the boys were none other than Eye Candy. She loved Eye Candy for their music' and thought that they were so cute. Though she was kind of jealous for In-su being sort of prettier than her and Shin as well; they were just too pretty to be boys. But then again she thought than JR and L were really cute and Do-il too though she heard he was a big flirt, but she didn't mind. Akane must have been staring because her uncle cleared his throat and Akane almost smacked her self as she felt the blush of embarrassment show on her face.

"Pearl this is Eye Candy, Eye Candy this is Pearl" Koga introduced them.

"Hello, may I ask what brings you here?" she asked holding her hand out to shake.

"You're uncle said you are your choreographer were having trouble thinking of a dance for the music video so he called us up to help as well he told us you loved our song 'Blind'" L said shaking her hand.

"Such a tattle tale" said narrowed her eyes at her uncle.

"Also that you like to do the dance around the house" Shin said being the gossip girl he is.

"Uncle" she growled at him.

"Don't worry, I bet you look really cute doing the dance" Do-il said running his finger along her jaw.

'Yup definitely a flirt' Akane thought to herself.

Akane looked past L and Do-il who was trying to grab her attention and turned it to JR and In-su. In-su seemed to be hiding behind JR since Akane heard In-su is shy and since JR is the strong silent type it seemed almost fitting that he'd hide behind JR. Going up to the tall boy she held her hand out with a smile.

"Hello nice to meet you" she said to JR.

"Likewise" he shook her hand.

"Hello back here, I'm Pearl" Akane said looking around JR.

"Hello, I'm In-su" In-su introduced himself shaking her hand.

"So where shall we get started?" Akane asked going back to her place next to the choreographer.

"How about you show us your dance and Do-il here will add in corrections" L patted his friend's shoulder.

"Okay, Jae-Hwa play the song" Akane agreed nodding.

The choreographer took his place next to her after he played the song on the stereo and waited for the cue. Adding to it Akane mouthed the words that would later be added in and raised her hands up with her fingers spread bringing them in towards her face then stopped there. At the sound of a beat similar to almost a heart beat she turned her elbows out moving her hands from vertical to horizontal. All the while she would turn her right foot inwards every time she turned her elbows out. It continued on from there with Do-il stopping the music to make suggestions and L doing so as well. Akane would have to warn Do-il to keep his hands to himself as he would control her body since she hit him once for touching her butt. The other three of the group were sitting on the floor watching them as they ate rice crackers.

"I have an idea, why don't we make this a duo?" Akane suddenly said out loud.

"Eye Candy plus Pearl?" L asked.

"Yeah, since you guys are helping me you should be in this music video with me" she nodded with a smile.

"Okay that means In-su, JR, Shin get over here and practice the dance" Aaron called them over.

The six of them went over the dance while Akane practiced the words she would have to later sing. At parts where they had to swing their hips the guys had trouble and Akane had to help them swing their hips a bit. In-su, who wasn't used to being touched by girls, would run away as Akane grabbed his hips and yanked them in a circle. He laughed as he pretended to be hula hopping but then ran from Akane's grip laughing. Do-il ran up behind Akane and took hold of her hips swinging them in a quick circle before swiftly running away. Soon it became a hip swinging contest where they helped each other get the rhythm of heir hips. L pulled JR into it, who as actually pretty good at hip swinging, and Akane had actually seen him smile. Then for some reason it turned into hip swinging Simon says as the choreographer, Jae-Hwa, would turn the music on and off and who was still hip swinging when the music was turned off was out. It turned into good old hip swinging fun when Akane told her uncle her idea of having them sing in the song with her. Giving them the parts that the backup dancers were going to sing to have Eye Candy sing them.

"Would you guys like to stay for dinner?" Akane asked when they were done.

"If it's no trouble, we'd love to" L smiled at her.

During dinner, someone thought it'd be fun to start kicking people under the table which soon started an under the table kicking war. Since no one knew who kicked them they went on a free for all kicking each other. When Akane thought it was Do-il who kicked her she'd kick him even though it was really Shin. By dessert they all had aching fatty bruises and sat in the living room with ice packs on their legs eating dessert. Akane groaned getting up to collect everyone's bowls and put them in the sink. For some reason as she did, JR got up and helped her carry the cups and bowls to the sink.

"Thank you" she dipped her head at him.

"You're welcome" he responded down to her.

"You should smile more" she said reaching up to push the ends of his mouth up more.

"Guy ish dat?" he asked through his stretched mouth.

"You looked cute when you smile" she complimented but them stopped.

'That's what Ranma told you' something in the back of her mind said.

"Um thank you" he blushed.

He quickly left the kitchen as Akane stood glued to her place in the kitchen thinking about what she just said. Ranma, it's been almost a year and a half since she let and not a single word has been said to them. She didn't write one letter, type on email, said one voice mail, or even punched in their home number once. It had actually been a while since she last thought of them, but she was sure they were fine. When actually things weren't.


	15. Chapter 15

"Why did you give up?" Ranma yelled at Nabiki.

"Face it Ranma, it's been almost sixteen months since she's been gone, and I haven't gotten one lead of where she is or if she's even alive, face it Ranma she's gone" Nabiki yelled at him.

"Don't you say that, don't you say she's gone, it's bad enough your dad think's she's dead, when she isn't!" Ranma yelled gripping his hair.

"Ranma, move on, we have five more months of school left and then it's over, Akane had even said that she would leave after school was done, if she's alive today with us here she would be a senior and would graduate and then left, so she would have been gone either way; she just left early" Nabiki huffed at him.

Ranma stumbled out of her room with her words ringing in his ears. Akane would have left after she graduated? So she had been thinking of leaving to begin with, he couldn't believe it. Had things been so bad for her here that she wanted to leave the Tendo dojo even thought it was her dream to inherit it? Would she have really given up the dojo to get away from things here? It seemed like a big guess, but where was she now? Gone, that was the answer. And Nabiki had said that she was thinking of leaving them when she was done with school. So she really did leave the dojo; the only thing that could really have been hers. But there had to have been more to her leaving then just wanting to be free. There had to have been a bigger reason as to why she left everything behind. Why she left P-chan, her friends, family, the dojo, even…him. He was here in Japan, and she had left him, but what was he thinking with the last words he said to her. Of course she wouldn't want him after what he said; he was a jerk.


	16. Chapter 16

"Hello" voices said behind Akane.

Akane turned to see none other than the guys from Eye Candy. Even after their music video for her song 'Sexy' they still liked to hang out with her and bring her lunch on days where she was shooting or filming. They liked to watch her as she acted trying to be mischievous and funny as she sweet talked cops and gave them attitude. They found the show funny but dramatic as she yelled at the actor playing her old brother telling her to act her age and grow up. There were a lot of running in the episodes since she ran from cops, from her brother, even the principal from the supposed school she went to.

"Hey guys, whats up?" she asked hopping out of her seat.

"We came over to see you finish your photo shoot" In-su almost squeaked.

"Thanks guys" she smiled at them.

Akane had to do her photo shot with a guy named Hyo from another group she favored. He was way older than her by almost either years but he was still really cute in her opinion. Since she had done a song with him called 'Not on my mind', she thought she should add him into her photo shoot. Half the shots for her second album were done with some of them including Eye Candy. Akane wore a sleeveless sparkly red dress with a high slit to her knee and a pair of black stilettos. To make her hair long she put in extensions and they were curled going around her shoulder blades. Her make up was simple with red lipstick, shiny black eyeliner, and rosy cheeks. Hyo came out wearing a three piece tux with a black tie and his blue dyed hair combed to the side. He had to wear make up as well to give his face color since the picture was going to be sort of shadowed.

"Okay Pearl stand here and sort of extend your arms along the bars" the director instructed.

The setting was a hotel hallway with classic white walls, deep red carpet, but they had this gold railing along the wall. Akane leaned her back against it and extended out her arms to the sides wrapping her black velvet gloved hands along the bar. Hyo came along adjusting his black framed glasses and fixing his combed hair. The director situated him to stand in front of her but kind of off to the side a bit with an arm above her head since she was shorter than him. He leaned into her a bit putting his hand in his pocket as she bent a long slender leg and placed the bottom of her heel against the wall. She looked up at him seeing his face was really close to hers but with all the photo shoots and music videos she didn't mind anymore. There were clicks indicating that photos were already being taken of them. Akane tried looking at other pieces of his face, but his dark eyes were so pretty that they almost pulled her in a trance.

Hyo knew what he was doing without even having to do anything. This girl was new to the music business and even if he was her senior by eight years, he knew she found him cute. He knew he was cute which was why he didn't even have to try as he could see her deep in his eyes. But he had to admit even if she was only seventeen her face was sort of mature and cute, and she had nice legs as well.

The director situated them once again with Akane standing in front of him a hand on the bar and her other hand on her hip. Hyo stood behind her standing to where he could clearly see above her head. The director took one of his arms and wrapped it around her neck with his other hand shoved into his pocket. Akane tensed up a bit feeling his arm cross over the front of her neck and touch her shoulder but then relaxed as she looked at the camera putting on her model face. But then she felt Hyo put his head on her shoulder pushing his face inward towards her hair. He didn't look at the camera instead he looked at her face seeing her tense up a bit and closed her eyes a hand going up to his arm. He almost smirked seeing how uncomfortable she was as she tried to stay calm but with his arm around her neck he could feel her fast pulse through his arm.

"Okay now Hyo you can relax a bit" the director called startling them a bit.

Hyo lifted his head from her shoulder and took back his arm walking towards the camera where he was given water and touched up his make up. He looked at Akane over his shoulder seeing her breath deep as a way to calm her heart. A smirk made a way to his lips seeing as she asked the director for a quick break. His eyes followed her to see her sit in her chair sipping on ice water as the Eye Candy guys complimented her look. Hyo then quickly smacked him self telling him self to stop doing that kind of thing where he wants to make sure girls feel like they're going to pass out.

"You okay?" JR asked in his husky deep voice.

"I'm fine" she nodded sipping her water.

"Here try this, I don't really like sweets" he gave her a sweet bun.

"Thank you" she took the sweet bun from him.

To be careful with her lipstick she took a small bit as the sugar sprinkled bread fed her hunger. Chocolate crème spilled from the inside as she used her tongue to get a small lick and moaned at the smooth crème. Unknown to her JR blushed watching her as she ate the pastry he had given to her. Unknown to JR, the Eye Candy crew minus Shin looked seeing him blush as he watched the smaller girl eat the pastry they knew he favored. They all knew JR was the kind of give up things for other people pleasure like now where he knew Akane was hungry and he gave her his chocolate sweet bun. Shin finally looking up from his pot stickers and saw what they were looking at and saw Akane was happily eating JR's bun while JR watched her.

"JR I thought you loved chocolate sweet buns" he said interrupting the moment.

"Hm, you said you don't like sweets" Akane said through a mouthful of crème.

"I'm fine" he shook his head.

"Here take a bite or else I'm not taking another bite" she shoved the chocolate sweet bun in his face.

He made a face as he stretched his mouth around the bun and took a big bit earning him a smile from Akane. She took a bit in the almost same place he did and smiled up at him before handing the rest to him for the make up artist to fix her lipstick and return back to the photo shoot. She returned to her place against the wall her director saying it was her solo shots. She placed her hands against the wall rolling her shoulders forward a bit as she placed her back against the wall and looked down at her shoulder pouting out her lips a bit. The director said she was doing a good job and to switch up the pose. Akane rolled her shoulders back and dipped her head back more looking down at the bar sliding her hands down the bar batting her eyelashes a bit. Switching it up she wrapped her arms around her torso dipping her chin down to her collar bone placing the bottom of her heel to the wall. Then after a few shots she dipped her head back looking to the side at the camera until the director called it a wrap.

She went back to the changing room when Hyo stopped her. She looked up at him seeing his dark eyes once again but shook her head telling herself that he's way older than her. He looked down at her before dipping down to her ear catching a small whiff of her perfume.

"You look really nice in that dress" he complimented.

"Thank you" she took a small step back.

"Well I must go now, I hope to see you again" he bowed at her.

"Till next time" she bowed at him.

Getting to the dressing room, she shivered a bit peeling off the black velvet gloves as she felt her sweaty palms from having been so nervous around him. He was really good looking in his tuxedo and his combed hair, but she got the feeling that he knew how good he looked. And when a guy knew how good he looked he knew that girls were looking at him and Akane had been a girl looking at him. Even with the fact he was eight years her senior, he still kept really close to her in the photo shoot like when he placed his head on her shoulder. Akane took out the extensions with care and unzipped the dress placing it on the hanger with care as Akane ran a hand through her hair. Hearing the door open Akane didn't bother thinking it was one of the makeup artist until she heard a yelp. Looking she saw it was JR with a hand over his eyes, Akane yelped throwing a make up brush at him.

"I'm sorry!" he yelled before slamming the door.

Akane blushed with her shirt covering her when she thought about JR at the door. Then she made a small yelp sound remembering seeing a small patch of blue a little bit down the hallway turned towards her way. She growled clenching her shirt as she looked down at what she was wearing under the dress. Black opaque stockings clipped to the black garter belt covering her white thong as well as a black corset to smooth of her abs. Also the fact of her wearing black stilettos made her lingerie look even sexier, wow Hyo and JR must have really had a show. She sighed knowing now it can't be undone and unclipped the corset happy she could breathe regular now. With the opaque leggings and garter belt still on she slipped her dark jean shorts over them and replaced the corset with a regular bra and put on a blue cropped top on with a white tang top and brown boots. With her jacket around her arm and fixing her brown fedora she left the dressing room seeing the Eye Candy boys waiting around for her.

"I'm sorry for walking in on you" JR deeply bowed.

"Eh you're lucky I wasn't braless so you're forgiven" she smirked down at him.

He straightened out and softly smiled at her as she smiled up at him slipping on her grey jacket. She sat on the couch next to them and sighed leaning her legs on L and her head on JR. JR moved his arm so it rested against her shoulder and L placed his folded arms on her legs. The boys started to talk about random stuff until her stomach growled loudly to interrupt their chatter and look at her. Akane blush a deep red as they laughed at her and she made a face pulling her fedora over her face embarrassed. JR took off her hat and kept her out of her reach as she jumped up into his lap reaching over his head to get her hat. JR blushed seeing her chest area rising into his face and narrowed his eyes down at them as Do-il started to quietly laugh seeing his dilemma.

"Here you go" he blushed giving it back to her.

"Let's go eat!" Akane whined putting her hat back on.


	17. Chapter 17

They laughed as she flopped onto L's back for him to give her a piggy back ride. He pushed her up on his back and walked with her small weight on his back towards their tour van. They loaded in and L set Akane down at the table where In-su got out playing cards. While Do-il drove the tour van to a place where they were eating, the rest of them played cards at the table betting in random things around the van. Shin had betted the microwave and lost it to L and was new never to use it without asking L. Akane had betted Do-il's blanket and had won In-su's shoe.

"I'm so hungry that corset was cutting off my digestive system" Akane groaned looking at the menu.

"Get whatever you want, I'll pay as my apology for walking in on you" JR smiled as she looked at the ice cream.

"I already told you were forgiven, you don't need to" she shook her head.

"But I want to, I still don't feel right for walking in on you" he shook his head.

"Okay well thank you JR, hey guys JR says he's paying so get whatever you want" she said to the rest of them.

"Thank you JR" they said in unison grinning at him.

JR sighed regretting now what he said as they went over the more expensive items on the menu. But the guy's joked saying they would pay for their own food as the waiter came to take their orders. Akane laughed seeing how the waiter tripped seeing them as he was a fan of Akane's and asked for her autograph as well as the guy's. The waiter then scurried off after taking their orders taking smiling like a kid in a candy store. The guys started joking around that the waiter liked Akane and had hit on her, but she joked saying that the waiter was confusing In-su for Akane. Seeing that In-su had been known for his pretty look and the fact that they both had white hair made it funnier. They laughed imitating each other as Akane tired to do the pouty lip thing that In-su could do. Then somehow it turned to all of them trying to do the pouty lip thing but they failed until their food came.

"That was good, thank you JR" Akane hugged the taller boy as he paid her part.

"No problem" he said placing some money for the check.

"Ice cream" Akane jumped once they were out of the restaurant.

"You just ate" L raised an eyebrow reminding her.

"Ice cream at my house" she put a thumb to her chest.

"I'm cool with that, last one in drives!" Shin said jumping in the bus.

They all piled in except JR, Akane, and L all went in at the same time getting caught. In-su was behind them raising an eyebrow with a sweat drop on the side of his head seeing them struggle. He placed the bottom of his boot against L's butt since he was in the middle and pressed on his but. This caused him to go flying forward into the bus and making JR and Akane crash into each other and bunk heads. They groaned holding their hurt heads as In-su walked into the bus and made them look at each other. With L still on the steps with spirals for eyes Akane grabbed the back of his belt and pulled him down. L fell from the steps and onto the sidewalk as JR and Akane ran in yelling. This left L to drive as the rest of them played cards until they got to Akane's house where her uncle waited.

"There's my little chipmunk, the director sent me the pictures they look great" he said waving his phone.

"Really? I want to see" Shin jumped up and down.

"Me too" In-su jumped on Do-il's back.

"Okay I'll hook it up to the TV and show you the pictures" he smiled skipping to the TV.

He plugged into the wifi and plugged his phone in pulling up his photo files with his phone. Then on the TV screen Akane saw the pictures of the photo shoot before the one today. She had taken many photos of her wearing a leather belly jacket with a bunch of straps of studs with a pair of leather pants that had zippers up the side. She sat in the throne that was surrounded by the stairs and buff guys that had collars with chains attached to them. The chains were all collected to her hand as she sat in the throne with her legs crossed with a grin and a twinkle in her eye since one was covered by an eye patch. The guys commented on the pictures as they got to another solo shot of her wearing a long white off the shoulder dress that reached the ground. Her white hair had extensions again curled and pinned back on one side as she looked at camera over her shoulder with a white gloved hand touching her lips. Then the photo shot with Eye Candy was a rather fun photo shot of them holding her up as she was on her side. They wore matching black three piece suits with their own little accessories as they smiled at the camera. Then the photo shot today with Hyo, they made wow sounds as it showed Akane looking glamorous in the red sparkly dress. But all of them were uncomfortable with her being so close to someone eight years older than her. But Akane saw they took her solo shots with her against the wall that they had Hyo do solo shots to make the photos look like they were back to back on either side of the wall.

"They looked really good" In-su complimented over his ice cream.

"Thanks, that corset was killing me" Akane sighed putting her empty bowl on the floor.

"Ah, behave children I'm going to bed now" Uncle Koga said stretching his arms out.

"Okay night" Akane said pulling a pillow into her lap.

"We got to get going too" Do-il said getting up.  
"Alright, bye guys see you later" she said walking them to the door.

Akane stopped looking at the house phone and sighed picking it seeing that it couldn't be a little past seven. She hesitated a bit before punching in a number she knew very well and waited for it to be picked up. At that time she became very well known of her breathing as she waited until she heard a click meaning her call got answered.

"Hello this is Doctor Tofu's Health Clinic, how may I help you?" a soft but mature voice asked.

"Doctor Tofu?" she whispered.

"Yes, who is this?" Dr. Tofu asked waiting for an answer.

"It's me, Akane" Akane closed her eyes giving out a shaky breath.

"Akane? Where are you? How are you?" Dr. Tofu sat up in his seat.

"I'm fine, how is everyone?" Akane asked in a whisper.

"They're haven't been so good Akane, they really miss you, the household basically fell apart when you left" Dr. Tofu answered leaning on his knees.

"Really? I didn't think me leaving would have been so bad" she whimpered.

"Akane you meant a lot to everyone, you were a great friend and family member, I don't know where you got the idea that you leaving would have no affect on everyone, so come back home" Dr. Tofu sighed.

"I'm can't come back Dr. Tofu" Akane shook her head.

"What do you mean you can't? You can always come back home, I'm sure everyone will forgive you and things will go on, you can always come back here" Dr. Tofu tried pursuing her.

"I mean I can't come back to that life, I've already lived too much here that I can't come back and give settle back into the life I had in Nerima" Akane explained.

"Akane, where are you?" Dr. Tofu asked.

"I can't tell you that" Akane bit her lip.

"Akane, just tell me that you're fine at least" Dr. Tofu sighed knowing her mind was set.

"I'm fine, can you not tell anyone I called?" Akane asked wondering if he would.

"Yes, I can see you're fine and that you obviously have been accustomed to a better life" he nodded.

"Okay, thank you" Akane said before hanging up.

She looked at the phone that she had placed on the receiver before turning around and marching to her room. Akane was unsure if Dr. Tofu was really going to keep their conversation a secret, but she had to trust him. He was a man to keep his word, but she still had to keep in mind the 'what if' situation. What if he let a little detail of their conversation slip and he just lets the whole thing out? Akane changed into her pajamas and slide into bed thinking of how her family was. Dr. Tofu said that they weren't doing well which made Akane feel like a criminal until she sat up in bed with an idea.


	18. Chapter 18

"So you want me to sent this to the Tendo house saying that I got this from you from Hong Kong telling me to forward it to their house?" her uncle asked holding her letter.

"Yes, please?" she put her hands together.

"Okay" he sighed making her to perk back up.

"Thank you" she hugged his thick waist.

"Okay, okay I know I'm the best now go on and go do your TV show" he shooed her off.

Akane skipped off as her break ended to shoot the third episode of the TV series 'Running Into Trouble'. Akane fixed the beanie she wore that had all sort of rock star pins on them and then went to the place where she had to be set. Akane wore skinny light blue jeans with an oversized tattered light brown sweater that had dark brown striped and black old shoes. Her white hair had been done to make it look messy and ratty giving her this over all messy look. Her part was to be running away from the principal who would eventually catch her and place her in detention where she would take a nap instead of cleaning the detention room. She started running but not to the full speed that she could run where she was slow enough that her bag got grabbed and she got yanked to the ground.

"Ow what was that for?" she yelled at the man playing her principal.

"I finally got you in your act this time you little runt" he said grabbing her wrist.

"Little runt? Ah let go! Help! Help! I'm getting kidnapped!" Akane began to yell trying to get out of his grasp.

"Shut up! Now get back to the school!" her principal yelled tugging on her sweater.

They cut to the scene of her slouching in a seat asleep in the detention room when a girl comes in catching her sleeping. Akane stays asleep when the girl taps on her shoulder and Akane stretches pretending to accidentally hit the girl in the face. Looking up she saw the girl blush since her character is supposed to mistake her for a boy and end up having a slight crush on her. Akane gets told that the principal told her to check on Akane who gets up and cleans the blackboard and the chalk erasers while the girl studies her.

"Yes?" Akane asked turning to face the girl.

"Ah excuse me but you're really handsome" the girl bowed.

"Ah really? Well that sucks" Akane shrugged.

"Ah why? Aren't boys supposed to be handsome?" the girl asked straightening from her bow.

"Yeah boys are but aren't girls supposed to be cute?" Akane asked slapping the erasers together.

"Yeah but you're not a girl" the girl said in a matter of fact tone.

"Um yeah I am" Akane nodded.

"What?" the girl yelled.

That's where the episode ended with the girl feeling a dork thinking Akane was a boy. Akane smiled as the director yelled 'cut' and Akane put the erasers down. Smiling the director yelled that they did a good job and to go get changed. Akane took off the beanie and went to her changing room changing out of the clothes and into her regular clothes of a black white plaid shirt, skinny jeans, and black leather boots. Her uncle waited for her saying they had to make a stop at the salon to get her hair redone since her roots were starting to show.

"Oh my gosh you're Pearl, aren't you?" the stylist said as she started brushing at Akane's roots.

"Yes, you are correct" she nodded with a smile.

"Oh my gosh how is your second album is going? I heard that Hyo is going to be in it, isn't he so cute?" the stylist asked enlarging her eyes.

"Yeah he is sort of cute if he wasn't eight years older than me" Akane joked.

"Yeah you are really young but if I was around him, girl I don't think I could restraint myself" the stylist gave a groan.

"I don't know I think he is cute but I think I'll stick to guys my own age" Akane chuckled.

"And I'll stick to guys my age and Hyo is my age" the stylist said with a grin.

It only took about an hour for the stylist to Akane's roots and wash out her hair. Akane paid with her own money and gave the stylist a nice tip before they headed back to Akane's house. This would have been the last week Akane was at the house having to go on tour while her album made its debut on sale. Akane would hit South Korea then parts of China to Japan and then somewhere after that.

"What is that Kasumi?" Soun asked.

Kasumi had gotten the mail and had opened an envelop to read what mail was addressed to her when she dropped the clean white envelop. It floated to the floor as her eyes read the letters on the piece of paper she read. Her eyes went to her father handing him the piece of paper who paled reading just the front of the folded paper. Nabiki took it and the paper slipped from her pale skinny fingers. Ranma looked and grabbed the piece of paper his eyes widening reading the front of the piece of paper.

'**Hello you probably don't remember me but it's Koga Matsuhara, your uncle. I recently got a letter from your sister, Akane, from Hong Kong asking me to forward it to your address. I don't see why she couldn't have done it herself, but here is her letter to you'**

Ranma quickly unfolded it making sure not to tear it. But sure enough was a letter from Akane; he could tell by the neat handwriting that was too familiar to him. His eyes started to read the letter that they thought would never come.

'_Hello, _

_It's Akane, I'm so sorry I left, but I had to leave. Nabiki is probably trying to find me with her business corporation of Ranma is trying to go on a trip to find me even without a lead. But don't, stop them. I had to leave Nerima and not for my own selfish reasons; I had to leave because I was getting sick. Not sick like I was getting sick of the drama going around, but actually sick, where I actually loosing too much weight and not sleeping well. I was also getting depressed with each day I was in Nerima, I'm not trying to put any blame on anybody, I said that hoping you would understand. That you would understand that I left so I could live past the age of twenty; it didn't seem I would live past high school in Nerima. Me leaving was me taking charge of my life so I could live a healthy life I couldn't in Nerima. I would suggest even some of you getting out of Nerima for a big breath of fresh air. But I'm sorry that I've caused you so much pain and despair with my leaving, please I beg you to move on without me. If you don't move on you will only get sick and depressed and possibly hurt yourself; I say to move on for your own wellbeing and health. I wrote this letter to reassure I was not kidnapped, murdered, or any other idea father had thought. So I hope this letter will brighten up the household a bit knowing I'm fine, but I ask you not to send Ranma after me, because if you do I will not come back the same. I have lived a life here as I wanted and could never go back home here in Nerima the same as I left. Please move on with out me knowing that I am fine. I love you all, know that please._

_Sincerely, _

_Akane'_

Ranam gripped the paper in his hands. He shadowed his eyes with his bangs gritting his teeth before breaking out in a laugh. His laugh was empty but it still shocked the Tendo household, who hasn't laughed in many months. Ranma was laughing at the letter that said Akane wanted them to move on without her. Like a simple letter was going to make them forget about her and move on with their lives. She had no idea what they had endured while she was gone and now she thinks that she can just send a letter and thins will be better again? Akane was wrong, so wrong. His knuckles turned white clutching the letter in his hand.


	19. Chapter 19

"You ready?" her uncle asked.

"Yeah, where'd you get the jet?" Akane asked seeing Miss Hyo-Sonn climb into the jet.

"Your sponsor" he answered.

"I still have to thank him for everything" Akane sighed speaking to herself.

Akane was so tired, she had been on tour for almost a month now and her second album had made a record number of copies sold. They were in China and had four more performances to go before going to Japan and the first stop on the list was Tokyo. Nerima was in Tokyo, but Akane hoped her letter was helping her family move on. She knew her family didn't care for pop music but Kasumi was one to experiment new music. And there was always a chance that Kuno would wave around her picture. And a new hairstyle didn't mean her face changed, so seeing her face could send things out of control.

But Akane was too tired to think of things like that right now. Being on the move all the time and barely getting the required days rest had Akane stuck on coffee. Her doctor would have been shaking his head to hear her meals mostly consisted of noodles and fast food as well that she only got about four hours of sleep. They barely had time to stop by restaurant and eat an actual good meal that Akane had been craving for awhile now.

Her hand went to her neck where the necklace Sayuri had given her hung around her neck. Akane had never taken it off as a reminder of what life she used to live. Nerima was her inspiration her songs; all her songs were to the experiences and people in Nerima. But also as her reminder, she considered it a lucky charm and right now it was her lucky charm against getting found. In her hand she clutched the pendant looking out the jet that was flying over China. China? Oh what an adventure she had in China with Ranma and the others, it seemed forever ago.

Ranma put his head on his folded arms that he set on his desk looking out the window. A month of so was left in school and people were so happy that the four years of tests, exams, homework, and waking up early were almost over. To Ranma it was hell, the end of his last year meant that Akane was gone forever. Thought all this time he still held hope that Akane would appear on their front step looking as beautiful as ever. Then he would embrace her as tight as he could forgive her as soon as he saw her face. But the end of the school year meant that Akane would never be coming back since he found out that she would have been leaving once school was over. But if school was still going on, it meant he still had a chance to see her.

From afar, Ukyo looked at Ranma and sighed deeply. He had been like this for the past almost two years and it was killing her to see him like this. Ukyo should've known all along that Ranma had chosen Akane and Akane only, but instead of listening to herself, she became a witness of running the wedding. It must had killed Akane to see her wedding ruin just like that, because they couldn't get over Ranma, even thought it was so obvious that Ranma loved Akane.

"Hey Sayuri what is that?" Yuka asked seeing her former friend pull something from her backpack.

"Oh I have this old friend in Korea and she's been raving about this pop singer that she loves and she's letting me borrow her CD's" Yuka smiled setting the CD cases on the table.

"Oh wow, she's really pretty" Sayuri gasped.

"Hey you two, what are you looking at?" Ukyo asked looking over Yuka's shoulder.

"Oh this Korean pop singer" Yuka said showing her one CD case.

"Can I see?" Ukyo asked.

Yuka handed the long brown haired girl the first CD album, whom inspected it over. Her dark eyes looked over the cover seeing the first picture was a short white haired girl looking at a boy from the back of the classroom. Her fist were curled over her mouth covering half her face as her eyes widen looking at the back of the boy's head, Ukyo found it cute. Then going to the lyric booklet inside, she saw the same white haired girl wearing cute nerdy clothes being treated like the girl next door in the pictures shown. Then the CD itself had the words 'Pearl' and 'Girl in the Back' in curly handwriting on the white covering. Ukyo raised an eyebrow seeing a bit of something peek out behind the CD and took it out. Her eyes saw that there was a picture underneath with a cute innocent face wearing a nice white dress with girls around her feet. Ukyo's brow started reaching for each other as she looked at the girl's face feeling like she knew her.

"Can I see that one?" Ukyo asked reach for the other one.

Ukyo switched with Sayuri seeing that the second album was much different than the first. The white haired girl wore a sparkly red strapless dress with long white curly hair with her back up against a wall. A man looking years older than her with combed dyed blue hair and a black suit stood over her. Their faces were turned towards each other, their lips just centimeters away as she saw their eyes looking deep at each other. The man actually looked to be containing himself from kissing the white haired girl. Ukyo opened it and saw the CD over was simply white with a red lipstick kiss mark on the edge.

The first picture Ukyo saw in the lyric booklet was the girl wearing a nice white off the shoulder dress with dark red lipstick wearing a white gloved hand touching her lips making a soft but sultry face. The pictures continued on with the white haired girl posing with boys from another band. Curious she took the CD off and saw that the white haired girl on a decked out thrown surrounded by buff guys that had collars. The collars had chains attached to them leading to her hand as she sat on the throne with her legs crossed wearing a smug smirk on her face. The world 'Pearl' was in big white letters on the top step to the throne. Below it in white letters was 'Electrifying' as the album name. Ukyo had to admit that she was really pretty but she couldn't get it out of her gut that she knew her from somewhere. Ukyo turned it over seeing that the picture was almost the same except that the girl was alone this time with her back against the wall. The man with blue hair had his back to hers but the picture had made it seem like they were back to back on opposite sides of the wall.

"She looks really familiar" Sayuri said making a small noise like she was thinking.

"Now that you say that, she does" Yuka nodded agreeing.

"I can't get it out of my mind that I know her" Sayuri made a face looking at the CD cover.

Ukyo gave it back to them and scratched the back of her head wondering why this Pearl girl looked so familiar. Going home, she jumped on her computer thinking of taking the day off to catch up on work, but she had to look up this girl first. Ukyo's eyes searched seeing her fan website seeing the email and address to send fan mail, endless videos, pictures, comments, and alerts. Ukyo clicked on her fan gallery seeing that the girl must have been a part time model or something with the professional photos she had.

Ukyo recognized some of them from the albums but then stopped seeing the dramatic change of the styles. The first pictures were all sexy but classy but at the start of her career her style was cute and simple. Ukyo started watching music videos or videos of her being funny and cute. Like videos of her doing small cute dances, answering fan mail, in interviews, playing with animals, or meeting with friends of Eye Candy. Ukyo started to read small information of Pearl seeing that her uncle was a guy named Koga Matsuhara, she was originally from Japan, she's had turned eighteen recently. Seeing that there was no way that Ukyo could know her, she went back to the videos going towards the end. But at the end Ukyo saw it was homemade videos that her uncle had made of her doing dance practice in a dance studio. But then watching the last video of her uncle recording her doing dance practice, something had Ukyo jump up from her seat.

The girl stopped dancing and started to do katas. Her katas were sort of bad and needed work, but the still held strength and power. But it wasn't the fact of the girl knowing martial arts that surprised Ukyo, it was the fact that the girl was doing Anything Goes. Ukyo recognized the form and art of Anything Goes from watching Ranma in his endless amount of battle. But this girl, she knew it somehow and she was practicing it right in front of Ukyo on her computer. Only thing Ukyo could ask was, how? Then she quickly clicked to the girl's biography seeing that she started her career a little less than two years ago before school began after leaving Japan to live with her uncle. Ukyo started skimming through the paragraphs of the girl, before going back to the video to watch the whole thing seeing if it gave Ukyo any more information.

"_That was good, still just need to work on your kicks" _Ukyo heard the girl's uncle note.

"_But I got down that one step so I won't fall" _the white haired girl said with a grin.

"_I know, I'm proud you're improving"_

"_Really?"_

"_I know so, you doing so well chipmunk" _

"_Why do you call me chipmunk?"_

"_Because chipmunks are cute, and you grew out of my Little Akane nickname"_

Ukyo's jaw dropped as the guy pinched the girl's cheek as she made a face at him shaking her head. The man had called the girl Akane but the albums had said Pearl, but then pop singer's usually had stage names. Ukyo dropped in her seat putting a hand to her forehead as she went to the playlists listening to the girl's song. The first album was all songs about being in the background. Ukyo knew if this girl was actually Akane then she would be talking about always being called names and being made fun of by Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi. Akane would have been talking about always being put down and being unappreciated for anything. Ukyo listened to the second album hearing the songs being changing who she was and that she wasn't the same. These were all songs to Ranma, songs saying that she was no longer the Akane they knew but Pearl the pop singer the world knew. But speaking of knowing things, Ukyo jumped up from her seat and started running towards the Tendo residence.


	20. Chapter 20

"Is Ranma here?" Ukyo burst through the front door.

"Oh Ukyo, Ranma's in his room" Kasumi gasped a bit surprised.

"Thank you and sorry" Ukyo bowed before running to Ranma's room.

Ukyo burst through his door seeing he was doing his homework and he jumped a bit at the sounds of the doors slamming open. His father, still in panda form, jumped from his sleep and glared a bit at Ukyo before going back to sleep. Ukyo quickly grabbed his hand, but Ranma resisted saying he had homework.

"Ranma, it's really important, now come on" Ukyo grunted trying to pull him up.

"Ukyo what is it? I have to do homework," Ranma weakly said trying to get out of her grip.

"Ranma, it's about Akane" Ukyo said loudly catching his attention.

"What about Akane?" Ranma snapped his head towards her.

"Just come on" Ukyo said tugging on his arm.

Ukyo quickly dragged him to Nabiki's room where she stared to pound on the door. Nabiki's growl could be heard through the door as she ripped her door open. Without a word, Ukyo pushed past her and sat at her computer turning it on as Nabiki bickered behind her. Seeign the screen start getting sketched with white words, Ukyo turned around to Nabiki.

"I'm sorry that I barged in on you, but this is important" Ukyo said before turning back around.

"What is so important that you run me over and use my computer without asking?" NAbiki growled rolling her eye.

"Ukyo says it has to do with Akane" Ranma said.

They watched as Ukyo went on the internet and go a fan page. Ranma's eyes looked over the page seeing it there were endless pictures, videos, and comments of this white haired girl. He didn't seem how this was related to Akane as Ukyo searched through the endless amount of videos. Ranma was anxious as Ukyo clicked on a video and started to fast forward through some of it seeing the girl was only dancing. Then Ukyo stopped and his eyes widened seeing the white haired girl start doing Anything Goes katas. Then when the girls stopped, Ranma stopped hearing that a guy was talking to the white haired girl.

"_Why do you call me chipmunk?"_

"_Because chipmunks are cute, and you grew out of my Little Akane nickname" _

Ranma's heart stopped as his eyes widened. He heard the man call her Akane as a hand came into the camera view pinching the girl's cheek. Then Ranma saw the guy let go of her cheek and she smiled which was where Ukyo paused the video. His eyes stayed on the girl smiling big at the video; it was her smile. That girl was smiling Akane's smile; the smile that reached her eyes showing her shiny white teeth causing her eye to look a beautiful sparkly honey brown. Ranma didn't know if this was actually Akane, the Akane they knew, but his gut started to talk. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, his palms began to sweat, his heart gave a light squeeze, his face turned red; this was his gut talking, telling him this was Akane. Only Akane could make him feel like this with just a smile.

"How are we going to be able to see her?" Nabiki asked.

"It says she's on tour and that she's coming to Tokyo in about three weeks, but tickets are expensive" Ukyo made a face seeing the price.

"I'll see what I can do" Nabiki said taking out her phone.

Ranma somehow ended up in the seat looking at the music videos. He just couldn't believe that this was his Akane that he knew dancing so provocative wearing these tight audacious clothes with high heels. His light blue azure eyes just kept on watching as she sang in a language he didn't understand while standing on top of a hardcore spiked throne. He just didn't believe this was Akane who kneeled on one knee pushing out her chest with the beat. But the pictures of her and this guy, Hyo, standing so close with their lips just centimeter away, that's what really got him. The Akane he knew would never let any body of the male race come so close to her, ever. His fist clenched tight seeing how she was letting this guy come so close to her even if it was just for a picture. But she looked so beautiful in her solo pictures wearing this sleeveless sparkly red dress with her white hair curl and black velvet gloves. The dress made her seem classy and elegant and the make up just made her more beautiful and mature. The dress hugged her just fine making her figure look more womanly and hourglass than she already is.


	21. Chapter 21

"Japan, here we come" her uncle yawned.

"Yay" Akane yawned.

Akane just finished her last performance in China and they were giving her three days to rest after arriving in Japan. It meant that Akane would spend most of her time sleeping and practicing for her performances. But right now, everyone on the jet was sleeping and Akane decided to do the same. She pulled the hat bill over her eyes and slouched in the seat falling into a deep sleep. Unknown to her, her uncle was taking pictures to post on her fan website as she slept.

"Come on, one two three leg up and back, turn" her choreographer clapped to his instructions.

"Are you okay Pearl, you seem like your distracted" he asked.

It was true; Akane was distracted now that she had come to Japan. The fact that her sponsor was Kuno and they were now in the same country as each other was part of why she was distracted. Also the fact that she was in Tokyo and Nerima was not too far was also why she was distracted. She was just waiting for the doors to slam open and see a duck or cat with a redhead girl run through. Her concert was showing in billboards around Tokyo with her face all over the place. But instead of being truthful to her choreographer, she shook her head saying there was nothing wrong. Akane tried putting her attention into the dance she practiced but she kept thinking about her family.

Akane looked at herself in the mirror wondering if her family would even recognize her face even with white hair. Akane did do anything to her face to make it seem different but still with white hair, she looked different. Thought the style of clothes and her dancing style is stuff she wouldn't have tried years ago in Japan. Would that throw her family off?

"Well you better find two more tickets for me" Nabiki growled into the phone.  
"But I can't, the tickets are sold out" a frantic man could be heard from the other line.

"Well then how about passes?" Nabik smirked.

"Passes? But those are for only staff" the man gasped.

"Do I need to remind you that you owe me for saving your butt, so I suggest you stop stalling and get me two staff passes" Nabiki said in a deep demanding voice.

"Yes ma'me, right away ma'me" the man yelped.

"Good, now I want you to hold onto the passes until the day of the concert where I will call you and meet me at the back door where you hand them to me" Nabiki instructed.

"Yes Miss Nabiki, I will keep them in a safe place until the concert" the man nodded furiously as thought he could hear his nods.

"I knew you would cooperate, now I'll see you on the day of the concert" Nabiki said before hanging up her phone.

Nabiki swirled around in her seat turning to Ranma who had heard everything before leaving her room. Nabiki turned to her computer looking at the pictures of the girl that's her supposed sister. Clicking on a picture of the white haired girl wearing nothing but a baggy white button up dress sitting down with her legs stretched out in front of her, Nabiki still had her doubts about this girl being her sister. But looking at the autobiography seeing that they shared the same uncle had Nabiki believing it was her. Nabiki sighed looking at the picture seeing the change in her sister; she could just tell that her sister was more confident in her pictures.

(Okay to let you know, this goes between Akane and Ranma POV's a lot, so I'm just warning you)

This was it; her concert in Tokyo was going to being in four hours. She was getting done up for her hometown concert that many people had bought tickets for. Akane had to wear extensions again and they were going to be curly with her bangs pinned and puffed back. Her stage outfit was black leather pants with a dark purple one shoulder blouse and black pumps. Akane didn't have to put on the outfit yet so she wondered around wearing sweatpants and a tang top before she had to get ready. Most of the time, she reviewed the dance over with the back up dancers to get all the little things perfect.

While Akane was wondering around, she saw a guy, couple years older than her, looking around frantic. He was medium height with shaggy brown hair and black framed glasses covering his dark eyes. Akane watched as he frantically looked left and right of the place and checking his phone every couple seconds. Raising an eyebrow, she was about to ask him what was wrong when she got pulled to practice the dance again.

"You ready?" Nabiki asked Ranma.

Ranma stood next to her checking himself over, since Nabiki had instructed him to wear a tux to look more professional. He tugged at the collar thinking it was too tight around his neck then went to untuck his shirt and loosen the belt. Nabiki slapped at his hands fixing his collar and letting him fix the waist since she didn't want to get to close. Nabiki had donned a woman's tux with a black pencil skirt, white off the shoulder top, and a black blazer. They were getting ready to go to the concert leaving a couple hours early to get there early and maybe talk to Akane.

"Yeah, let's go" Ranma nodded.

Everyone was out today. Kasumi was at a book club and their father's were at a bar, so nobody would notice them gone. They left the house and went into the limo that waited for them out front since Nabiki was able to get one. With the instructions of where to go, the driver was off and so was Ranma's heart. His heart thumped loudly thinking of what he would say to Akane after so long. Would he say what he wanted? Would he say it right? Would he sound dumb? But his biggest concern was; what if she said no? What if she said no to come back? What if she said no to his love? He didn't know what would happen after that.

Akane got pulled into make up after the announcement that people are started to form at the front of the theatre. Quickly her extensions were clipped in with them already curled as the make up artists put on smoky eye shadow, shiny black liquid liner, glossy lips, and sparkly cheeks. After that her hair got finished with her bangs pulled back and puffed before getting pulled into the dressing room. Her uncle gave her some medicine for her feet incase her feet would hurt because of the heels. One of the back up dancers helped Akane pull up the leather jeans laughing as the girl jumped up and down while Akane held onto a chair. The other back up dancers laughed as another stood in front of Akane and started tugging up. Finally when they were zipped up and buttoned, Akane thanked them both and helped them put on their black dresses as well as help make sure their hair didn't get messed up. Then they all practiced the dance in heels to get used to it.

"Starts in five minutes" a person told them.

"Okay, thanks" Akane said taking a sip of juice.

Akane left the dressing room and went to the side of the stage looking behind the curtain. There were people holding signs and conversing loudly with each other; they looked like they were really excited. Akane started to shift side to side mouthing the words of her songs making sure she wouldn't mess up. Her heart pounded, even if she performed almost a hundred times, Akane still got nervous. Especially if any of her friends or family were in the crowd. Then that's when she felt a hand on her shoulder.


	22. Chapter 22

"We're here Miss Nabiki" the driver said stopping in the back of the theatre.

"Thank you, stay here" Nabiki told him as he opened the door for her.

Ranma followed behind her fixing his tux as he could hear the audience calling out the name 'Pearl'. Nabiki called the guy holding their passes as they walked to the back where two big men wearing 'security' shirts stood. The back door open and Ranma saw a short man with glasses show the men their passes and let them pass through the door. The back was filled with staff people moving about getting the concert ready. There were people putting food on a table, moving stuff around, announcing things, getting lights ready, even carrying out fireworks. He overheard a woman say that the concert was going to stat in three minutes. His eyes became desperate searching for the white haired girl that he had come to see. Then his eyes spotted her, by the curtain looking out on stage. His feet lead him to her, his heat pounding as he became desperate to touch her. His hand reached her shoulder feeling the smooth softness of it as she turned to see him.

Akane turned around quickly wondering if her choreographer wanted her to do the dance one more time before going on stage. But then her brown orbs caught onto the light blue azure eyes she was so familiar with and had loved. Her jaw dropped seeing his clenched jaw, the bags under his beautiful blue eyes, his pale skin, and his inky black haired tied into his signature braid. Her breathing stopped seeing his face here right in front of her, how was he here?

"Ranma?" she whispered.

"Akane, it is you" Ranma breathed going to hug her but she stepped back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her eyes going wide.

"Me and Nabiki came to bring you home" he said grabbing her wrist.

"But I don't want to go" Akane said yanking her wrist out of his grip.

"Hello there" Nabiki said moving in.

"Nabiki? What's going on?" Akane asked with her eyes going even wider.

"What's going on is we're here to talk" Nabiki said being the mature one to settle things in a civil manner.

"Why? I'm not going back home and you can't make me" Akane said taking a step back.

"Well I'm here so we can settle things in a mature manner seeing as well all eighteen and above here, so I'll get started, Akane the household in a wreck since you left, no one's been happy since you left, you should've at least called" Nabiki said crossing her arms.

"Or you shouldn't have left, at all, period" Ranma added in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about contacting you, I was selfish in not thinking of how you guys must have felt, but I just didn't want to be taken away after what I worked for, I mean look at all this, would you have left it?" Akane said dipping her head.

"Akane, don't be stupid, this isn't you, the hair, clothes, make up, and shoes aren't you; you hate being dolled up and girly" Ranma said his fist clenching.

"I'm sorry but Miss Pearl, the shows about to start in forty seconds" a person alarmed Akane.

"Yes, thank you" Akane thanked them bowing her head.

"It seems, we must carry this discussion later, tomorrow morning meet us at the Nekohanten, I'm sure you remember where it is" Nabiki said writing in her notebook.

"I remember, and Ranma this is me" Akane said before turning from him.

Ranma was taken back by her words. He looked at she strutted away in her black high heels looking as confident and comfortable than he had ever seen her. She looked so different than before and not just because of the make up or the hair or even the clothes. Her aura seemed to be different like she seemed to have more self-esteem and confidence. Then those clothes she wore just even made her seem even more confident and even sexy. She disappeared going up some stairs before he and Nabiki turned to the stage side to watch the performance. His eyes watched her as she stood at the top of these stairs before the spot light hit her and she started to sing.

She seemed so enchanting and beautiful as she danced and sang upon the stage. He looked in a trance as he watched her spin and twirl around enjoying herself as she smiled and waved at the audience. She touched the eager hands that stuck out to her at the front of the stage and blew kisses to the ones in the back. People screamed her stage name holding out signs saying they loved her and want her. Ranma just kept watching unknown that Nabiki was looking at him seeing his face caught in a trance. His face looked like he couldn't believe this was the Akane he knew and would fight with. Akane looked like she was having so much fun, like this was what she absolutely loved.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, Akane left the hotel early telling her uncle she was going to go for a walk and headed for the Nekohanten. Akane didn't want the conversation to be interrupted so she wore her normal going out clothes of faded jeans, flip flops, and a red long sleeve shirt. Her hair was hidden by a black slouchy beanie and her eyes covered with black sunglasses. To her, she seemed like a normal kid as she walked her way to the Nekohanten. To no surprise Nabiki and Ranma were already there with Shampoo and Cologne hanging on them.

"Shampoo didn't believe violent girl's sister when she say violent girl is coming" Shampoo huffed pointed a finger.

"Excuse me; I'm just here to sort some things out" Akane said moving past her.

"Just because violent girl famous doesn't mean Shampoo be nice to violent girl" Shampoo huffed crossing her arms.

"That's fine with me because I'm not here for you" Akane said taking off her sunglasses.

That set Shampoo off to her red anger face and Cologne pulled her to the kitchen to work. Akane took a seat across from Nabiki and Ranma setting her sunglasses on her head as she got situated. Ranma seemed to be uncomfortable like he had a lot to get off his chest and Nabiki well she seemed like her usual business self.

"So shall we carry on?" Akane asked folding her hands neatly on the table.

"So we already got over the fact that you won't be coming back to live at home with us" Nabiki said sipping her tea.

"No we haven't, Akane you have to come back home with us" Ranma said abruptly.

"No Ranma, I don't, you just want me to come back because I know you feel guilt about what you said, you think I left because of what you said when really I left because I need to take charge of my life, so no I don't" Akane said as Mousse poured her some tea.

"But what about our engagement? I know you're happy, but what about me? Don't you care about me? Don't you care about my happiness?" Ranma said trying to not sound desperate.

"I do care about you and I want you to be happy" Akane got cut off.

"Then why are you leaving me? Why are you refusing to come back to live with us? Why can't you see that I want you" Ranma jumped from his seat.

Akane sat silently looking up at him with her calm brown eyes. She knew what he meant behinds those words. She knew what he was really saying; I love you and I want you to come back to me. It was silent between the three of them until Akane spoke again.

"Oh Ranma if you had only said that a long time ago then I would've not thought about leaving ever but I can't make you happy Ranma because my feelings are gone now" Akane shook her head.

"But" Ranma started but Nabiki cut him off.  
"So I see that we can rule out the engagement off and that you're not living with us, but will you still see us?" Nabiki asked as Ranma slumped back in his seat.

"Yes, I will be more courteous and send letters, emails, calls, and I'll try to visit at times when I can" Akane nodded.

"But Akane, the dojo?" Ranma chimed in.

"It's yours, I wanted that dojo so bad but it seems it was yours all along, I have my music now" Akane smiled a small smile at him.

"I don't want the dojo, I want you" Ranma chocked out feeling like his heart was going to burst.

"Ranma, that's enough, we already settle that the engagement is off and Akane is free to make her own choices" Nabiki snapped at him but she was soft about it.

"No, no it's not settled" Ranma shook his head.

"Ranma, look at me, you can't have me anymore because I'm not the same girl I used to be, I'm not the girl you fell in love with and that girl can never come back, do you understand?" Akane said touching his hand softly.

Ranma looked at her through his hazy blue eyes at her soft pale face holding her big round brown eyes. That's when he knew, she wasn't the same Akane. She was right, she wasn't the same girl he used to fight with and insult, this girl in front of him was different. This girl wore make up and heels with her confidence that radiated to the people around her. This girl was fine with boys being around her and having to be close to them. This girl was fine with the stimulating clothes she wore and wore them like pajamas; comfortable and relaxed. His Akane wore tennis shoes and didn't know a thing of make up and was self conscience about her body. His Akane didn't let anybody of the opposite sex come so close to her and would sock them if they did. His Akane would never wear such clothes so tight or even consider wearing them. They were so different; this Akane was not his Akane.

"Yes, I understand" Ranma said quietly dipping his head.

"Thank you, Ranma for understanding" Akane smiled softly at him taking her hand back.

"I see that's settled, now Akane about your career" Nabiki was going to add something but Akane cut her off.

"I handle my own finances, but if you guys ever need money talk to me, you're family, I'd hate to see you guys down in the dumps" Akane said knowing exactly what Nabiki was asking.

"I might just take you up on that offer" Nabiki smirked.

"Just let me know, but I have got to go now, it seems a crowd is forming" Akane said seeing through the front window.

"We'll be seeing you, too bad we weren't able to have lunch" Nabiki sighed.

"Bye Akane" Ranma said softly standing up to shake her hand.

"Bye Ranma" Akane said.

Then she did what she should've done before she left almost two years ago. She gave him a small soft hug around his waist with her head on his shoulder. He was taken back feeling her embrace but smiled after a second hugging her small back. She pulled back giving him a golden smile that he knew so well before slipping her sunglasses back on. Ranma watched as her small back retreated out the front door and through the crowd calling for her. A car pulled up in front of her and a man who he had guessed was her uncle came out. He opened the door for her as Ranma guessed he was asking what she was doing here while she took one look back at the Nekohanten over her shoulder. Then after a few seconds of her gazing at the small noodle shop she slide into the back seat followed by her uncle before they drove away. Ranma sat back down next to Nabiki with a deep sigh.

"You think she'll come visit us like she said?" Ranma asked the elder girl next to him.

"I'm sure of it, Akane may not want the dojo anymore but I'm sure she still makes her promises as a martial artist" Nabiki nodded over her tea.

"I think so too" Ranma said setting his chin on his palm looking out the window.

Akane sat with her legs crossed looking out the window as the Nerima streets and shops passed on by. She sighed, her eyes feeling the car slow down as it came to a red light and looked at the people walking on the street light. Akane's eyes widened a bit seeing her two old friends Sayuri and Yuka standing on the street corner waiting for the light to turn green to walk. They were talking and laughing sharing a set of earphones singing along a bit to whatever they were singing. Akane rolled down her window a bit and caught a bit of what they were singing; her song 'Hummingbird'. She smiled as they laughed when Sayuri messed up a part and went back to singing. Akane could only think about how far she had come.

She had been almost a nobody here in Nerima, sure she was popular and boys wanted to date her at Furiken, but that didn't matter to her. Her marital arts had been her's until these great martial artist came and Akane saw how much stronger they were. She saw how strong and dedicated they were to their art. Akane had been dedicated to her martial arts to become stronger and better but she wasn't nearly as good as these people. When Akane had left, she thought she was going to improve in Korea but instead she had found a whole new art; music. She had been dedicated to her music career almost more than she had been to her martial arts. Akane worked harder in her music than she did with her martial arts, so hard in fact that she had actually past out from exhaustion from working so hard. It was nothing to be proud of, but still she only worked on her martial arts to the point of exhaustion when she was angered. She worked so hard on her music because she loved it; more than she did her martial arts. And now because of her hard work, she had become a famous pop star. Akane was happy with that even though she had been raised to become a marital artist, she was happier as a singer. Singing was what she loved now, it made her happy. Akane smiled to herself as she looked out her window.

"What are you looking at?" her uncle asked interrupting her thoughts.

"Oh nothing" Akane said shaking her head.

"Well roll the window up, its cold" her uncle whined.

Akane shook her head at her uncle's low tolerance to cold weather. She rolled up her window as the car began to move again as the light turned green. Her eyes caught the look of her friends as they laughed stilling listening to music. She smiled softly as they drove past heading back to the hotel where she would rehearse her songs and dances again. They drove towards the hotel where her future was waiting to carry forward.


End file.
